Predator and Prey
by starwars4life
Summary: Set two years after "Differences: The Gateway to Wonder." This story stars a wolf named Kale whose unexpected interactions with the hedge family who we know and love sends him on a journey of self-discovery and contradiction that turns his whole world upside down. Who will benefit from this in the end: his pack, or the hedgies? Read and enjoy!
1. Coming-Of-Age Hunt

_Predator and Prey_

 **Disclaimer : I do not own _Over the Hedge_ in any way; DreamWorks owns the movie, and the comic strip characters are the property of Michael Fry and T Lewis. Only the original characters belong to me.**

 **Hello OTH fans. I have grown tired of waiting for someone to update or add a new Over the Hedge story, so I hope my action will be the first domino that makes the others fall. Adding to this, not only has it been a while since I have updated one of my OTH stories, but it's been even longer since I have created a new Over the Hedge story. So if you have been waiting for something more than a mere update, more is now!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Coming-of-Age Hunt**

It's Kale's time. According to the laws/codes of wolf society, a successful hunt here will raise his standing more than three hunts.

Failure on this hunt means disgrace, but the 15-year-old wolf will prove to his 10 peers of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack that he has what it takes to be a future pack leader. The fur on Kale and his two older brothers is predominantly light-brown with a thin text-box-shaped regular-brown-colored pattern running down their dorsal side, as well as some regular-brown fur on the top of their heads and the middle section of their faces that goes down to the nose. Dark brown stripes are in the center of the regular brown area, and the pointy end of the text-box pattern stops halfway down the tail, the tip of which is dark brown. Lastly, Kale's eyes are grape, meaning the irises are predominantly light-purple with thin streams of regular-blue mixed in between. His second oldest brother has orchid eyes (mostly dark purple irises with not too thick but not too thin light blue streams), and his oldest brother has thistle eyes (mostly regular-purple irises with thick dark blue streams).

 **Bone-Chomper Leo:** "You ready ta show your worth of bein' a part'a my pack, Track? Ready ta show that you can be betta at somethin' besides tracking?"

The other 10 members of the Bone-Chomper Pack chuckle at their godfather's rhetorical questions, and Kale rolls his eyes while letting out a sigh through his nostrils. Kale's nickname had been mockingly given to him by his older siblings who, even to this day, often teased "Track" by saying, "Our 'lil brother...Not only is he the runt, but he hasn't been good at nothin' except tracking his whole life."

But Kale lets Leo's remarks slide. He doesn't dare offer any resistance, complaint, or offense. He can't. Not with Bone-Chomper Leo in charge.

* * *

Like all wolves Bone-Chomper Leo has a "mafia accent," but a stark difference is that his voice is full of regality and prestige; something he has a right to. Kale's pack godfather Leo is the leader of his Bone-Chomper Pack, a veteran of not only many hunts, but a victor of many fights against predators higher on the food chain. He commands great respect among his own pack, and other wolf packs nationwide. Wolves from every corner of the country would line up in droves for the honor of being a part of the famous Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack, but Leo only takes the best of the best. And being the best usually means defeating a cougar, bear, or wolverine—creatures that eat wolves for breakfast. But Leo had to make an exception for Kale, Kale's 20-year-old brother Bone-Chomper Bugsy, and Kale's 23-year-old brother Bone-Chomper Luciano on the account of a family emergency.

Kale's parents, Sniff-Tracker Eddie and Sniff-Tracker Sharnese, had been killed by a mountain lion when he was 10-years-old. The predatory feline would have killed him and his two older siblings as well, had it not been for Bone-Chomper Leo who had shown up and proved his lion-referencing name by defeating the puma. Kale and his brothers lacked any other relatives, and because their parents had intended their Sniff-Tracker Pack to be a family-only wolf pack, that left the boys with no other non-related Sniff-Trackers to take them in. Therefore, Leo, being the three siblings' literal godfather, had them join his pack. Because the title of "godfather" or "godmother" for wolves is usually a ranking equivalent to "leader," rather than having to do with ties of family or friends, that knowledge actually makes it odd for any wolf to be under the wing of a real godfather.

But the former Sniff-Tracker boys couldn't have been a part of a better wolf pack. The Bone-Chomper Pack is composed of Leo, his mate Bone-Chomper Emmy, his 24-year-old daughter Bone-Chomper Gabriella ("Gabby"), as well as the unrelated wolves Bone-Chompers Clyde, Bonnie, Nelson, Capone, and Dillinger. Because all but three wolves come from outside Leo's direct bloodline, each has different coats of fur.

The fur of the surname Bone-Chompers (Leo, Emmy, and Gabby) is the "classic" wolf coloration, the one that a human would see if s/he looks up a picture of a wolf in an encyclopedia or internet image. They have a gray and slightly black dorsal side that becomes lighter gray the closer to the ventral it gets, a black stripe that runs through the middle of their back, tan legs and paws, gray fur around their eyes, and a light gray ventral side. Their tails are colored gray and have a black tip at the end. Leo's eyes are dandelion colored (regular-orange), Emmy's are golden mist (light-orange), and Gabby's are spring colored (mostly yellow irises with thin light-green streams).

As one would expect, Capone, Bonnie, Clyde, Nelson, and Dillinger, along with Kale's two older brothers, earned their names after achieving the same level of infamy via kill-count in the animal world as their historic human mobster namesakes did in the human world. The reason of wolves' awareness of people who died many years ago is that wolves are endowed with greater intelligence than most animals, and their sense of hearing is used for listening in on human gossip, television, or movies. According to human religion and science, because animals walked the earth before humans, it goes without saying that wolves were the original gangsters in the planet's history. That means any human mobsters merely copied what wolves have been doing for eons; for wolves invented gangs. That means it is coincidence at how each of the seven wolves has similar mannerisms to the gangsters of old.

Capone is a master strategist whose hunting leaves behind nothing that can be traced to him or the pack. The majority of his fur, including the whole tail, is colored so light brown that any lighter would make it white. The further into the middle of his dorsal side his fur gets, the more tan-colored it becomes, and his pattern in the center of his back is dark brown and filled-in-V-shaped. His eyes are mocca-colored, or have dark brown irises, and his medium-pitched voice sounds smooth as butter.

Bonnie and her fiancé Clyde had been in love since they were pups and had traveled far and wide to attack prey, all while outsmarting (or defeating) creatures that pursued them. Bonnie's fur is mainly gray, and the roughly sideways-star-shaped pattern on her back, along with the fur all over her head and face, and half of her tail is so dark gray that it almost looks black. Her eyes are frost-colored, the irises being a combination of white and gray. Her voice is quite deep and almost sounds masculine. To top it off, her voice is even-tempered, and always in-charge-sounding—something that her lover Clyde can't get enough of.

Clyde's fur has a black-colored, human-nose-shaped pattern on his back and fur that is so dark brown that it would look black if it is any darker, and he has golden eyes. Dissimilar to his mate-to-be, Clyde's voice is exceptionally nasally, like he is imitating a Mafia accent even though he is speaking his normal way, but he has ended many a creature who doesn't take him seriously. In particular, if anyone looks at Bonnie the wrong way, they'll end up in Clyde's teeth—something that his lover Bonnie can't get enough of.

Dillinger's unsurpassed record in the killing of and robbing food from countless animals—prey and predator alike—earned him charisma like no other. This was odd for a wolf who rarely speaks, but then again, his actions speak louder than his words. That's a good thing because whenever he does speak his voice is raspy and haggard, as if he has a frog in his throat that he doesn't bother to try to clear. Unlike the other wolves, Dillinger's all-black and rectangular dorsal pattern nearly covers his whole body, including his legs and paws. Only the fur on his left and right torso, cheek-tuffs, and ventral side is dark gray. His eyes are scarlet (bright-red), which further enhances the ferocity of his appearance.

Nelson is a bite-happy wolf (as opposed to trigger-happy human) who could instantly turn an everyday walk into a killing spree if something just looks at him the wrong way, or for plain fun. Always looking for an excuse to start a fight, his voice is aggressive, goading, and sounds like he wants to push anyone's buttons. Nelson's fur is the color of desert sand and he has a grayish-brown dorsal pattern shaped like a double-headed wrench, the hook-end of one end cover the left and right eye on his face, and the other end's hooks running down the left and right side of his hindquarters. His tail has a black tip at the very end, and his eyes are colored midnight blue in which the thick dark-blue iris streams almost cover up the light-blue coloration.

All of the ex-Sniff-Tracker brothers have voices that sound like a mix between a Boston and Latino accent. Bugsy's voice is like a medium-pitched guy going "Ah!" before a "Choo!" from sneezing. Being the oldest of the three brothers, Luciano's voice sounds like a know-it-all and someone who knows he's head-honcho. Kale's voice sounds like any teen's: a mix of high and low pitched who tries a little too hard to sound tough. Bugsy always had a knack for being a hitwolf, as well as making prey animals who he blackmailed, or made a legitimate deal with, gamble for their lives, and punishing them if they didn't pay up what they owed the Bone-Chompers. And Luciano had started many a turf war among opposing rival predators, which enabled the Bone-Chomper Pack to be the ones to end the fights, and then claim the spoils of victory.

So the names of those seven wolves are well-deserved. And now it's Kale's turn. If he does this hunt right, no one will ever call him "runt" or "Track" ever again. His pack will respect and revere him, female wolves will want to have pups with him, and prey animals will learn to tremble at the mere mention of his name. Oh, how sweet that would be to prove everyone wrong.

* * *

It is because of that hope, borne by a lifetime of being picked on, that makes Kale answer Leo's question (of being able to lead a pack and this prove that he is an adult instead of a pup) unhesitatingly and with pride ringing in his voice.

 **Kale:** " 'Course I am, Godfather Leo. I've been watin' for dis all my life. Follow me!"

After leading them over a widowmaker tree that formed a bridge that crosses over a ravine in a canyon, Bone-Chomper Capone makes an observation that he states aloud.

 **Bone-Chomper Capone:** "Am I dee only one who thinks we's going a longer way than what we's used to?"

Kale refrains from saying something along the lines of "No duh. Have you forgotten how wolf hunts go?", because he wants things to go perfectly. The first step of Kale's hunt had begun a few days ago when he had to pick a hunting path of his own, rather than one that the Bone-Chompers have used in the past in their territory. The Bone-Chompers claimed three miles of land outside of the woods that border the Elysian Fields Estates, as well as about one-eighth of the land within it. If successful, Kale's hunt would gain the Bone-Chomper's three-eighths of those woods, enabling them to acquire prey from an area teeming with various wildlife.

 **Kale:** "We is, Capone. But I chose this path after surveyin' da land to determine that some foxes and at least one bear on the outskirts are dee only real competition in terms of predators. So expansion of our pack's influence'll admittedly take a little longer, but be easy for such an elite group of wolves."

 **Bone-Chomper Luciano:** "Not bad, Track. But ya _do_ know that strategical thinkin' is only da first—and by all means least important—part of a hunt. You's got's ta be ready for anythin' that goes wrong, and have da skills 'n wits ta regain your control of da situation."

 **Kale:** "I can take care of myself, big bro. I'm not a pup anymore."

 **Bone-Chomper Bugsy:** "Don't get ahead of yourself, Track. You'll only no longer be considered a pup _after_ we's had a successful hunt, and not a moment before."

 **Leo:** "He's right, Kale. But less talkin' and more huntin', folks."

The others obey and the pack enters the woods of the Elysian Fields Estates a few minutes later. Once there, they follow Kale's lead by proceeding silently and keeping low to the ground. They aren't concerned about other creatures becoming aware of them by smell because the Bone-Chomper Pack haven't been frequent visitors in these woods, even in the section they have claimed as their own. That way, prey animals don't know the wolves' scent which prevents anything from sounding an alarm.

There is only one big problem with the hunting trail Kale has chosen: every angle the wolves can approach is in the vicinity of an R-shaped section of the woods that, according to Kale's previous observations and listening's, is a neutral playground zone that prey might be able to reach and be safe from the wolves' wrath. It is an area that predators and prey use for the sole purpose of letting their kids have a good time, and to attack someone in it would be most uncivilized. Hard to imagine, yes, but even animals have ethics. And if the wolves _did_ attack prey animals in the neutral zone, then it would make _every_ animal in the forest come after the pack. Not even the Bone-Chompers would be able to succeed in a fight against so many animals, and their defeat would ruin their pack's reputation forever. And where's the glory in that?

But that is also why Kale has chosen for his hunt to go by the woods near the neutral zone, because if the pack can catch prey before it gets to the relatively-close safety, the challenge it provides will raise his standing twice as much than if there was no neutral zone. But he doesn't dwell on that sweet feeling, because with the sound of the first prey animals passing through his ears it is now time for the wolves to switch from "leisurely stroll" to "sneak mode." Kale spreads his legs wide to enable himself to walk forward while remaining as low to the ground as possible, the pack doing the same.

Kale becomes attuned, or one with, his predator-spirit, a state of the mind that flows through him like the human concept of Mushin. In this state, Kale's senses peak at their highest ability, and his breathing and muscle contractions are in perfect synchronization. He doesn't think with his brain, but with his senses; he _feels_ like that "Force" thing from the popular science fiction movie franchise.

He sees the details of everything in front of him: every crinkle and vein in tree leaves, every particle of dirt, every midrib in grass leaves, every curve in insects' exoskeletons, and every hair on the squirrels high up in trees. He hears every cricket chirping, every gust of wind, every swaying plant, and every animal sound. He feels every exhale and inhale of air he does, every ray of sunlight that hits him, every air particle that creates the temperature, and every vibration in the ground created by the wolves' and other animals' footprints. He tastes his own breath as well as everything that he smells. He smells every blade of grass, every tree bark, and every scent of every animal within a three mile radius—well above the normal 1.75 mile maximum smell range of the average wolf, including the rest of the pack. But he is a Bone-Chomper and a former Sniff-Tracker, so his sense of smell is superior to that of most wolves. After all, a wolf relies mostly on smell to locate prey, and there is a good reason why he earned the nickname "Track."

He then fine-tunes his senses in a conscious effort that causes him to focus only on the sight, sounds, touch, taste, and smell of prey animals that are on the ground and along the hunting path he has chosen. The passage of time is no longer in his perception, he is driven solely by his predator spirit. He could have been hunting for a few more seconds or several minutes, it doesn't matter to him. All that matters is finding the first suitable prey.

Suddenly Kale "turns off" his predator spirit, stops moving, and lies flat on the ground, the others following suit. Every wolf knows that this means he sees the first prey animals straight ahead. The one that is facing to the front of the pack talking to the other animal that has its back to the wolves, is a young (most likely nine-year-old) male raccoon.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Typical._ "

And the other is...Well, at first he thinks something is wrong with his eyes because it looks like nothing he's ever seen before. And he _knows_ his prey animals well; everyone in the Bone-Chomper Pack does because they have defeated every kind of animal native in the continental U.S. The (most likely six-year-old) creature that's baffling him is shaped like a possum, but has the bushy ringtail of a raccoon. When it turns to the side to walk with the raccoon, Kale makes out a black raccoon mask around the possum creature's blue eyes, a long possum snout with a pink-colored nose that is shaped like a raccoon nose, along with possum paws and ears.

 **Kale thinking:** " _That one's parents sure don't respect the laws of nature._ "

The realization actually invigorates Kale. Not only would his attack be smiled upon by all creatures for restoring the laws of nature, but by ridding the world of this... _thing_ , he will save it the trouble of the constant ridicule that it undoubtedly receives about its appearance.

 **Raccoon-possum hybrid:** "Wait, do you smell something strange, Richie?"

All of the wolves tense their muscles, ready to pounce if the jig is up.

The raccoon takes a big whiff and says, "Hm, you're right."

Although they are disappointed that the hunt is partially ruined, the older wolves listen in to see where the critters' conversation will go, to see just how ruined the hunt really is before being ordered to attack.

 **Richie:** "But I wouldn't say it's strange, Mary. Just unfamiliar—"

The 10 wolves internally sigh in relief at how, as the raccoon speaks, the prey animals are turning in a way that denotes they will brush aside the strange scent and carry on with whatever they are doing, which means the wolves' cover is intact.

Then, a sharp and brittle _Snap!_ fills the air that causes full-carnivores and omnivores to turn their heads in the direction of the noise. Located behind a thicket of tall grass, and therefore concealed from the naked eye, a stick on the ground has been broken in two by Kale.

Unlike his pack, he had silently panicked when the raccoon confirmed the other's observation of the wolves' scent (even though the little kit didn't know it was wolves), and the teen wolf decided to move closer instead of staying put to listen in on the conversation of the prey. The other wolves had been too focused on eavesdropping to notice Kale walking forward, but they grimace and surprisingly keep themselves from groaning at the younger wolf's blunder, not to mention at their inability to stop him from doing something rash.

Kale already plans to explain his actions when the time comes; that he had moved forward because he wanted everything to go perfectly. But he has now jeopardized his own hunt. However, Kale also remembers what his brother Luciano said to him about how true skill is measured by one's abilities when things go wrong—like right now.

 **Mary** (nervous) **:** "Let's head back to the playground where it's safe."

 **Richie** (ditto) **:** "Y-yeah. I think you're right." (Raising his voice and facing behind him) "Hey guys, hide-and-seek is over. We need to go back to the playground. No joke."

A young male skunk with a brush-top hair style walks in from behind a bush and says in an indignant tone, "Really, Richie?" (Rhetorical) "Why you gotta spoil our fun?" (Snidely and with a big smile on his face) "It's 'cuz you know you can't beat me, _isn't it?_ "

 **Mary:** "No Ladarius. Something's wrong and we need to leave."

Ladarius is about to object, but then his father Jordan and stepmother Ahniyah come running in on all fours from somewhere deeper in the woods. Jordan is a striped skunk who looks just like his son, but has brown eyes instead of green. Ahniyah is a blue-eyed skunk whose white head-fur curves down the back of her neck and stops at her shoulders.

 **Jordan:** "We need to leave kids."

A middle-aged American red squirrel zooms in from somewhere to the side, its speed causing the wolves to raise an eyebrow in confusion but also admiration. The older wolves were starting to doubt not only Kale's sneaking skills, but also the adolescent wolf's choice of prey given the location of the hunt. Although this hunt is more about territory than defeating adversaries—meaning easy-prey is better than difficult-prey—all wolf society stipulates that the more challenging the prey, the better a pack's standing will become. This will give the Bone-Chomper's an advantage when they officially claim their new territory as their own, an act that naturally draws other wolf packs and other predators to contend for the area. A skunk is a challenge for any predator to take down, and killing a squirrel that fast will be a huge accomplishment for the pack. The defeat of both the mustelid and rodent will serve as great ammo to insinuate that the territory they gain should belong to the Bone-Chompers. Perhaps Kale knows how to plan a good hunt after all. Then again, he needs to learn patience as well.

In any case, the predators listen in when the squirrel speaks. His words are so fast that it's difficult for the wolves to understand him, but they can make out enough.

 **Hammy:** "Aw, but the hiding places there aren't nearly as good as they are out here!"

 **Jordan** (looks at Ladarius but speaks loud so everyone else can hear him) **:** "You're stepmom and I picked up the scent of some _unfriendly_ animals."

Ladarius can tell from the look in his father's eyes, the concern and paranoid wariness, that this is serious. The skunk kit's smile vanishes and his cocky demeanor is replaced by fear. He feels even more afraid when he picks up the scent that his parents told him about. The fear is present in the other friends who come out from their hiding spots and include an eight-year-old male duck named Jeff, a nine-year-old male raccoon named Ty(ler), a 10-year-old female beaver named Brooke, a 12-year-old male box turtle named Plushie, and a nine-year-old male flying squirrel named Mark. Kale and the other wolves relish the fear that they have created in the atmosphere. All wolves need to be intimidating in their appearances and actions, but the Bone-Chompers' pride surges in the fact that their mere and hidden presence induces the same fear normally felt when other creatures see the carnivores.

It also makes Kale get ready to strike once all the prey animals are distracted, because fear negatively impacts one's actions when the need to make smart decisions is dire.

 **Ahniyah:** "Run back. We'll follow behind the rest of you and ward off anything that comes our way. Get goin'!"

Hammy and the kids nod and take one second to look at their surroundings, their fear-dilated eyes wandering to look for the slightest movement—one second too long.

A deep voice yells "Now!" and a wolf emerges from some tall grass near the group of younger animals. Other wolves start running from in front of the adult skunks, but none of them have any idea who they are dealing with.

Jordan and his second mate Ahniyah had each grown up in an area with lots of predators and domestic violence within their own families. Their parents taught them how to fight others and to defend themselves at a young age, and that training stuck with the two long after they had moved to better places to raise their own families. Some cowardly foxes, frustrated with their failed attempts to individually take down Jordan's family, formed a temporary pack that enabled the predators to kill both of Jordan's parents and three out of his five siblings. A similar thing happened to Ahniyah's parents and two younger sisters, except with three fishers (large predatory mustelids sometimes called the "little brother species" of wolverines) instead of foxes. She had grown up with her aunt, uncle and her cousins, and Jordan had to grow up among his other siblings and grandparents. Their rough childhoods had made them want to avoid being mates with a skunk who would create more intense inner-family confrontations, for the sake of their kids. That's why Jordan divorced his first mate, and why Ahniyah didn't marry another skunk until she met Jordan whose similar background made them start off on the right foot and develop chemistry. Their childhoods also made each of them desire vengeance against any predator that threatened them or their families.

Like now with a pack of wolves. Rather than feeling panic, the two adult skunks, whose lives were shaped by fighting, think things through clearly. They don't let their surprise—not fear, because they have been through a lot worse than this—make them do anything rash. There are two of them and a total of 11 wolves attacking at two different directions. Ahniyah raises her tail toward Kale, and Jordan raises his at the rest of the Bone-Chompers. The skunks have fought wolves before, and know that those creatures have an uncontrollable desire to make wisecracks or injure prey so as to play with them before going for the coup de grâce.

But the Bone-Chompers are different. They don't fool around, and get results instead. Jordan and Anniyah seem to figure this out when the wolves don't make any snide comments and start to change directions upon seeing the skunk tails raising at them, but the predators can't react fast enough. All they can do is gasp and close their eyes in preparation for the worst.

The most important lesson the skunks' parents had taught them about fighting was for the first attack to be the deadliest, to injure an attacker so much that they are either dead or too incapacitated to do anything. Since skunks lack the claws, teeth, and strength to do any real damage to wolves, the mustelids do the next best thing.

 _FOOOM!_

When the skunks "let 'er rip" they each create a cloud of foul-smelling gas the size of what Stella did when inside Gladys Sharp's house at the El Rancho Camelot Estates.

Satisfied that their efforts have stopped the threat, or will buy everyone some valuable time at the least, they run away to go catch up with the younger ones. However, the wolves are immediately hot on their heels, causing the skunks to sprint.

The Bone-Chompers have also dealt with skunks in the past, and when they had gasped they were actually taking a breath that they held when the gas cloud hit them, which stops them from inhaling any of the gagging stench. Furthermore, by closing their eyes the carnivores prevent eye irritation or temporary blindness. The wolves had also quickly memorized the direction where the smaller animals had run off to before being gassed, and use their memory to navigate out of the cloud. In addition, the wolves' past experiences with skunks makes them well aware that skunks require about 10 days to produce more of their spray-gas, which leaves Jordan and Ahniyah "out of ammo."

And most of all, the wolves are knowledgeable about how long it will take for the stench on their bodies to wear off. Which makes them very, _very_ angry.

 **Bonnie** (looking at Jordan and Ahniyah) **:** "We's gonna make dose stinkers pay!"

 **Clyde:** "You said it, lover!"

Remembering he has to make all the leadership decisions, Kale looks at the adult skunks and then at the fleeing kids in the distance.

 **Kale:** "No, go after da kids. Make da skunks see their efforts fail!"

 **Emmy** (in a medium-pitched and almost nasally-free voice) **:** "Atta boy, Track! You's all heard him, folks, let's do it!"

Jordan and Ahniyah overhear the loud-mouth carnivores—again, wolves' ego makes them pretty predictable—and try to bite and claw them when they run alongside the mustelids. Alas, the wolves are stronger and brush the smaller mammals off like flies by simply giving a hard nudge that makes the adult skunks fall and roll onto the ground.

 **Jordan** (cupping his paws around his mouth to project his already loud-speaking voice) **:** "Hustle kids! Run as fast as you can!"

A sneer forms along the Bone-Chompers' muzzles. They figure that the kids are peeing themselves in fear about now, and will be so scared that they'll go all "deer in headlights" and not move. They discover that they are partially correct upon seeing the raccoon-possum hybrid lying flat on the ground 60 feet up ahead while the flying squirrel is crouching beside her in a frenzied effort to wake her up.

 **Mark** (while shaking her) **:** "C'mon Mary! This _isn't_ the time to play possum! We gotta move! Hurry! Get up!"

After looking back and seeing the wolves getting closer, he looks back down at Mary and tries harder.

 **Mark:** "Mary, _please!_ They're almost here! I swear that I'll leave you if you don't get up in five seconds!"

Unfortunately, anything the rodent says will only make Mary more afraid, and therefore more likely to keep playing possum. And thanks to the squirrel's loud mouth, the wolves know that the hybrid isn't really dead, and will eat her regardless. Not to mention the wolves are curious to see if the squirrel will actually be cold-hearted enough to leave his friend for dead.

 **Bugsy thinking** (in eager excitement) **:** " _Wouldn't_ that _be somethin'?_ "

 **Kale:** "Bro's, you's two stay 'n eat da possum and squirrel. The rest of us'll go after the other prey."

 **Luciano:** "No way, Track, we wants ta be in on da fun."

 **Kale** (with iron in his voice) **:** "Dis is _my_ hunt, bro. You's either follow my lead, or find another pack."

Bugsy and Luciano glare at their younger brother's attitude, but silently commend his sternness which is important for a leader. They still want to object, but Nelson sets the record straight.

 **Nelson:** "Looks who's grown up a notch..." (To Bugsy and Luciano) "He's right boys. Listen to 'im dis time."

By the time he and the other two refocus on the prey that is six feet away, there's a loud _Crack!_ , and then all the wolves are pinned to the ground by a tree that falls on top of them. The tree is thin and small, but has countless branches and leaves that makes it heavy. The wolves discover the reason for the falling tree when Leo says, "Dose 'lil _twerps!_ ", followed by the sound of footprints coming from ahead of them, and a few voices saying "Go!" For Leo sees the hedgie kids emerge from the tree line located to the wolf's left—at the exact spot where the tree had once been standing.

The children had been planning this longer than the wolves thought. Upon hearing the distance from which Jordan's voice had come when the wolves had shoved him and his mate aside, all of the kids became nervous since that meant the wolves were ahead of the adult skunks. Surprisingly, however, they had stopped running after going 60 feet when they noticed a small tree with lots of thick branches and leaves located off to the side of the main path they were traveling on. The tree was leaning and had a small crack near the base, both of which had been caused by strong winds from the past. Richie and Tyler, using their raccoon intellect, convinced the others to knock down the tree in order to temporarily block the wolves, something made all the easier thanks to Brooke's beaver teeth. Remembering his "cousin's" dramatic talent, Ty had told Mary to play possum out in the open and in front of where the tree would fall, while Mark pretended to frantically make her get up and run.

The ruse works, and it takes the wolves a full minute to free themselves, by which time the kids have put a lot of distance between themselves and the predators. Also by that time, the pack is angrier than ever, and the adrenaline pumping through their veins works overtime to give them extra strength that they use to run faster than usual.

 **Kale:** "Screw strategy! Target whoever you want and get 'em; first come first serve!"

The others are fully dedicated to carrying out Kale's order before he even gives it, because after the setback they just went through it is mere logic as to what should be done to ensure the hunt succeeds. Still, there are quite literally some sore losers among the predators.

 **Gabby** (medium-pitched and snobby voice) **:** "You shoulda had some of us try ta find the oth'a critters, Track! Instead of just focusin' on the two in plain sight!"

 **Emmy:** "Darn straight!"

Dillinger withholds comment, but gives Kale a flash of angry eyes while growling softly, which clearly gets his thoughts across to the young wolf.

 **Capone:** "We smelled 'em nearby, but were waitin' for your order as we should on dis hunt!"

Gabby and Capone are indeed correct. It is a common part in wolf society on coming-of-age-hunts. Because this is Kale's first hunt as a pack leader, he has to have the knowledge and common sense to make _all_ the observations of the surroundings and give orders accordingly. The other wolves won't move unless he says so, and won't divert from their path unless he says so, even when they notice something or want to do something that Kale doesn't. Knowing this, Kale does the first thing that comes to his mind.

 **Kale** (stammering) **:** "L-look guys, I's sorry—"

He stops his words when he realizes that apologizing is the last thing a real wolf should do in a situation like this. What's happening is that his team is having motivation issues and blaming him, so he has to get them back on his side. The authoritative tone in his voice returns when he speaks again, as does his strength of will.

 **Kale:** "But we's got betta things ta do besides whinin' like a bunch'a pups. We's Bone-Chompers, we can win!"

Again the wolves are impressed with Kale's ability to regain control, and the three who had ranted (and the one who glared and growled) were merely testing the younger one to ensure he didn't break under the pressure. Their heads get back into the game, all for one and one for all.

At this point the kids are 70 yards ahead of the wolves and about 100 yards away from reaching the neutral zone. When they look back to check on the pursuers 10 seconds later, their heart's jump into their throats as they discover, to their horror, that the wolves are only 30 yards away and closing. They apparently underestimated the audacity of the Bone-Chomper Pack, and now realize that their efforts to slow the predators down has the same effect as stirring up a hornet nest—full of wolves.

* * *

Being a slow turtle, Plushie is a good distance behind the rest. He doesn't want to stop and curl into his shell because he knows that the wolves' long muzzles will enable them to pick him off if he tries that. Needing to move faster than a box turtle is capable of, he calls out to the strongest animal in the bunch.

 **Plushie:** "Gimme a lift, Brooke!"

 **Brooke:** "Get on my back!"

She slows down, lets Plushie jump onto her back, and the amphibious duo takes off just in time to avoid the _Crack!_ coming from Leo's snapping mouth. Since he had stopped running in order to devote more energy to making a strong, bone-breaking bite (hence his pack's surname), Brooke and Plushie have a little extra time to get ahead of the wolf as he has to build up speed. Then the two kids see something that makes them feel safer already: a creek located to their right. They smile upon recollecting that the small body of water is an offshoot that will lead straight into the larger creek found inside the neutral zone. That means they'll be safe from the wolves as soon as they jump in the water. Brooke and Plushie are very fast swimmers so they will lose the predators in no time.

Brooke immediately heads toward the creek and Plushie looks back again to check on the wolf—

 **Plushie** (screaming) **:** "JUMP NOW!"

Brooke squats, leaps off the ground, and orients her body in midair to be in a dive position. The instant they hit the water, Brooke's tail is suddenly bitten by Leo who keeps his teeth locked there as he follows them into the drink. While submerged the wolf yanks her toward him which causes Plushie to lose his grip on her back and to jut forward. In that moment, Plushie has two choices: the young box turtle can easily swim away to save himself, but his aunt's and uncle's family that he joined two years ago has ensured that he is not the kind of kid to leave behind a friend in need, meaning the second choice is the only option for him. He and Brooke have gotten to be great friends who spent many a fun time playing in the water, which is something most of her friends can't do for extended periods of time. The two of them, along with Brooke's otter and other beaver friend would race, play underwater tag, compete against each other in Olympic-style diving competitions, and go underwater exploring together. Plushie doesn't want that to go away, Brooke's too fun to lose. She was also the ring leader of that small amphibious animal group, the one who made all the plans and led the way, so things wouldn't be the same without her.

Moreover, Brooke and her friend Richie had begun to gradually become nicer and more accepting of Mary's and her brother, Bernard's, existence as raccoon-possum hybrids ever since the beaver and raccoon finished their punishment of being grounded for three weeks for unintentionally almost killing a girl shrew named Tabitha. The shrew had been trying to defend Mary and Bernard who were getting beat up by the mean raccoon and beaver, when Brooke shoved the small mammal into a creek that led to a waterfall with sharp rocks at the bottom. Although Brooke tried her best to reach Tabitha in time, it was Mary and Bernard who saved the shrew. Because Brooke's prejudice nearly cost Tabitha's life, and the beaver wasn't the one to fix her own mistake, her parents had told her that the next best thing would be for their daughter to clean up her act. Maybe then Tabitha would be willing to be Brooke's and Richie's friend again, which was someone the shrew had stopped being ever since the so-called "Waterfall Incident," and despite the beaver's and raccoon's attempts to make amends, much to the two's disappointment.

In the short time Plushie reflected upon all of this, he also gets the idea of what he can try to do to save her...and he is well aware of how it will be a _try_. He cannot be inside the safety of his shell in order to help his friend, and he has never gone face-to-face against a wolf before. So he is very afraid, but he offsets the feeling by imagining he is with his late mother Kimberly—Verne's sister who died from a mechanical malfunction when the Depelter Turbo 4000 was being tested at Verm-Tech—going on one of her adventures. Plushie gathers up his courage, turns around, and immediately swims toward Leo like a torpedo doing Mach 1.

The wolf has tightened his jaws on Brooke's tail and is preparing to finish her with a cut from his sharp claws when Leo is hit in the face, right where the nose meets the gap between his two eyes, by Pluhsie who tucks his head into his shell at the last second to ensure a hard impact. In a twist of fate that turns the wolf's greatest strength into a weakness, Leo's grip on Brooke's tail, coupled with the beaver's weight, prevents him from jerking his head upward to send the turtle over him. Not to mention that he has exhaled a good deal of air as a result of the turtle's blow, but Leo still has enough oxygen to maintain his hold on Brooke until he ends her life. The predator closes his eyes to prevent the turtle from using its own long claws to scratch the sight organs, and brings his left forepaw out to swat Plushie away. The water resistance lessens the power of the wolf's blow, but Plushie nearly loses his grip on him nonetheless. The brave reptile quickly grabs a hold of the back of Leo's lip with his right hand, uses the lips to pull himself further down the predator's muzzle, holds onto the lips using his left hand, and reorients himself so that he is scratching and pinching the wolf's nose.

Leo has refrained from shaking his head side-to-side because that would risk him losing his hold of the beaver, whereby the turtle could then simply let go, and both prey would be out of his reach. However, with his most sensitive (and hunting-pertinent) external organ under attack, Leo loses more oxygen from grunt exhalations. He has no choice but to surface in order to take a breath, a smooth process thanks to his superior leg strength. But just when Leo is five inches away from breaching the surface, Plushie sticks his pointer finger into the canine's left nostril and furiously moves his claw around. The turtle's actions causes a nosebleed and forces Leo to sneeze as soon as the wolf gets his head above the water, his reflexively opened mouth enabling Brooke to finally get free and swim hard.

Although her tail is bleeding and has several bite marks, a few of which have punched teeth-sized holes through the entire tail, Brooke's speed is barely hindered. Her adrenaline enables her to ignore the pain and makes her flap her tail harder than ever before, which makes up for the flyswatter-like holes that somewhat decrease her tail's water resistance, what with the current passing through the holes in her oar-like tail.

Plushie also lets go immediately after breaching, and doesn't pause for a second when he is back in the water. That move saves his life, because Leo has already taken a quick breath and puts his head back under to get a hold of the turtle. Thankfully his jaws snap down on nothing except water. Leo is a great swimmer, but he quickly realizes that he won't be able to catch up to the prey. So he decides to get back to the shore and continue the hunt on land, but not before making a silent vow.

 **Leo thinking:** " _Next time, mildew-covered turtle and bark-eating beaver..._ Next time _._ "

* * *

After Brooke and Plushie separated from the main group, Ty, Mary, Richie, Ladarius, and Jeff have to think of a way to cover 65 more yards with the wolves gaining on them. They stick to the flat ground and avoid going into the tree lines on the far left and right because traveling there would make them have to slow down to accommodate the ground full of pine straw, sticks, and whatever rocks or various terrain under the foliage layer. The wolves on the other hand have longer legs and wouldn't be hindered. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jeff is only a juvenile duck who can't fly yet. Because of this, and because ducks are slower runners, the bird can only leap and hover forward for brief moments, making him appear like he's jumping on the moon to the wolf onlookers. Similar to Plushie: Ty, Mary, and Richie could have saved themselves by climbing up any of the numerous trees, but that would doom Ladarius who can't climb, and Jeff who hasn't found a tree branch low enough for him to scale higher to get out of the wolves' reach.

The Bone-Chomper Pack actually feels a small degree of admiration to the young climbers' bravery and loyalty to their friends; it's like the prey are a wolf pack themselves. Of course, it is a stupid pack because the climbers should have made for the trees a long time ago. But Kale is more than grateful of this, because his hunt would be a small victory if the pack only landed them a skunk and duckling while the more intelligent and capable prey got away scot-free. Sadly that _is_ the case for the two squirrels who had used their speed to quickly outpace their fellow critters and the wolves shortly after the tree fell on the latter. So Kale's hunt already has some points knocked off of it, and he will have to make up for the lack of defeating speedy prey.

But little do the predators know that Mark and Hammy have used their squirrel-speed to elude the other Bone Chompers by climbing into the tree tops. Of course, Mark's running speed isn't even close to living up to Hammy's, and Hammy had climbed a tree long before the flying squirrel. Even so, Mark had made his way forward until he now meets up with Hammy who has been making his way backwards. When Hammy had been 30 feet away from the playground, the American red squirrel realized that he had outran his family and friends who might need him to distract the wolves with his speed.

Now in the present, and being the younger among the two, Mark looks at Hammy for guidance.

 **Mark:** "What do we do now?"

Hammy doesn't seem to hear Mark, as the older squirrel continues to turn his head from one direction to the other like a chicken as he tries to get a view of the ground below.

 **Mark:** "Mr. Hammy?!"

 **Hammy** (jumps from terror as if Mark suddenly appeared out of thin air) **:** Ah! What?"

 **Mark:** "I said, what do we do now?"

 **Hammy:** "I-I...I-I-I, don't know.

 **Mark:** "But you're a grown-up. You're _supposed_ to know."

 **Hammy:** "I'm not like most grown-ups. I also need other grown-ups because I don't think things through, I just do things."

Mark sighs as he finds out for the first time that age doesn't automatically make a guy smarter.

 **Mark:** "Why aren't you heading to the playground where it's safe?"

 **Hammy** (talking fast without pausing) **:** "I was going to look for any of our friends and see if I can help them out. If something bad happens to them, I'll be in big, _big_ trouble for not doing anything!"

 **Mark** (scoffs) **:** "You call yourself a grown-up?! You sound like me, like a little kid who's afraid of getting spanked by his parents!"

 **Hammy:** "I told you I'm not like most grown-ups."

 **Mark** (dryly) **:** "Yeah, I can see."

Hammy ignores the younger squirrel's bratty attitude, and keeps looking for the others when—and _if_ —they come by below.

With nothing better to do, Mark starts heading to the playground to be safe. He gets past three trees when he hears Hammy exclaim, "Oh! Here they come!" The flying squirrel turns around and looks for his friends, but can't see any because of the branches in his way.

 **Mark** (while moving to get a better view and raising voice) **:** "Are they all there?"

 **Hammy:** "Yuh-huh, but the wolves are closing in."

Mark can see the ground clearly now and gasps upon confirming Hammy's latter observation.

 **Mark:** "They'll never make it!"

 **Hammy:** "I'm going to help them."

 **Mark:** "How?"

 **Hammy:** "By distracting the wolves."

 **Mark:** "Don't be crazy, you'll be killed!"

 **Hammy:** "So will your friends if I don't do something!"

Mark can't tell if Hammy is being brave, or just plain looney. A squirrel going toe-to-toe with a wolf? That's unheard of. Not even any of the cartoons that the flying squirrel has watched have done that because it would never happen—because it _can't_ happen! And then it doesn't matter, because after a _Whoosh!_ , the American red squirrel climbs down the tree trunk and is on the ground before Mark can try to talk him out of it some more.

This leaves the flying squirrel left all alone to ponder. He doesn't know if he should help out or not. He definitely doesn't want to die, but also fears his friends will think he's a coward if he doesn't help out. Too afraid and too conflicted to move, all he can do is watch...and pray.

* * *

On the ground, the Bone-Chompers are so close to the prey that the predators can taste the critters when they inhale to breathe; and Mary, Ty, Richie, Ladarius, and Jeff can feel the heat of the wolves' breath on their backs whenever the canines exhale. Even Ladarius—a skunk—thinks the smell is horrid: the rancid stench of various animals still being digested deep in the predators' gullets almost causes him and his friends to slow down in order to gag. But the young animals' fear and adrenaline prevents that. Ladarius also can't use his own skunk spray because that would require him to slow down, which is the last thing he should do right now. However, even continuing to run isn't putting the young hedgies any further away from the wolves who keep gaining.

Kale can practically hear the congratulations he will receive from the pack even before anyone in it prepares to bring their heads forward to bite. That moment will come to pass in no longer than six seconds. That's six more seconds he will have to endure of being the subject of joke and ridicule. But when that six seconds is up, they'll finally stop calling him "Track," stop calling him a pup or a kid, and start treating him with respect. They'll have to accept whatever new name he earns this day.

Then, as luck would have it, the kids run over a 10 foot patch of dirt at the exact moment Hammy comes zooming on the ground. The wolves keep running forward, but divert their eyes to the blur of motion that is Hammy. The squirrel yells something that comes out of his mouth at the same speed his feet are moving, requiring any creature unfamiliar with Hammy a little time to process the words. By the time the Bone-Chompers piece together that Hammy has said "Close your eyes and hold your breath, kids!" it's too late.

The predator's eyes are suddenly burning, and they enter coughing fits as Hammy runs in a circle to create a miniature dirt-tornado. Bonnie reels her head to the right and hits Clyde in the left foreleg shoulder, which causes him to lose balance and fall flat on the ground. Hitting him also makes Bonnie lose her own balance and then she falls to the ground near him, proving that even in the middle of mishaps they are true partners after all. Emmy plants her legs on the ground to make herself suddenly stop, causing Capone to run hard into her from behind, and Nelson to run hard into him, resulting in a literal three-wolf dogpile. Still blinded and immediately desiring fresh air to inhale so he can simply stop coughing, Bugsy runs faster—straight into a tree on the right of the main path, hitting his head hard and almost causing him to pass out. In any case, he'll need a few minutes before he's ready to continue the hunt.

Because they are at the back of the group, Dillinger and Luciano wisely stop and run backwards to escape the whirlwind of dirt. It takes seven seconds for their lungs and eyes to clear, and they put their forelegs in front of them at the exact point where the dirt-tornado meets the clean air. Hammy trips then skids forward on the smooth grass, the two wolves following close behind.

The predators are deadly-steamed at how their pack has been crippled by a squirrel of all things. It would be alright if it was a bear or another top predator that reduced the Bone-Chompers to a weak group of asthma-coughers, but a tree-gerbil?! Unacceptable! There is only one way to rebound from this humiliation: kill the red-furred rat. It's partly Kale's fault for not ordering them to travel through the tree lines to effectively encircle the fleeing prey, but they'll deal with that after eating the squirrel.

Speaking of which, even with Hammy's reflexes and speed, he can't get himself off the ground in time to flee up a nearby tree. The two wolves are already too close, and will not toy around or make any wisecracks; only quick retribution is needed. Dillinger gets in front of Hammy and Luciano gets behind Hammy, each wolf intending to rip the squirrel in half. Just when they open their tooth-filled muzzles, Dillinger yells in pain and surprise as Mark comes flying into the canine's face and pokes him in both eyes. Luciano dashes forward to attack the flying squirrel, who jumps over his head at the last second, causing the wolf to bite Dillinger in the face. Luciano immediately lets go, but the damage has been done as Dillinger screams louder. Luciano ignores Mark as the squirrel crawls down his back and instead addresses his friend who he just hurt.

 **Luciano** (frantically) **:** "Oops! I'm sorry, Dill!"

 **Dillinger:** "Get the squirrels!"

The strain to raise his barely-used voice into a yell makes Dillinger's words come out in a hack, but he focuses on the more prominent pain. While Dillinger rubs his face to soothe the teeth marks, Luciano looks down where the red squirrel had been, only to see nothing there, as Hammy has already climbed to safety. He turns around to face the flying squirrel, but the rodent is already climbing another tree. Mark is at the tree base, but by the time Luciano gets there, Mark is too high for the wolf to pursue.

With nothing better to do, and with a lot of anger he has to vent out in order to feel like himself again, Luciano looks up at the flying squirrel, looking him square in the eyes.

 **Luciano** (yelling in rage) **:** "You coward! You've just become número uno on my hit-list! You's ain't gonna live to puberty now! I'll find ya and get you and ya _whole_ family!"

The wolf bites the tree and rips off some bark that he spits out in a fit of anger. He then goes to continue the pursuit of the rest of the prey animals.

* * *

In the branches above, Mark has been looking down at the wolf as he spoke, and feels immediate regret for his actions. But in the next second he feels two arms wrap around him and pull him in for a hug.

 **Hammy:** "You save my life, Mark! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, THAAAAAANNNK YOOOOOOOUUUUU!"

 **Mark** (strained voice from Hammy's squeezing) **:** "You're welcome, Hammy. *Wheeze* Give me some air!"

Mark takes a deep breath when Hammy lets go, and the two squirrels start making their way back to the neutral zone using the trees above. When they are halfway there, a thought pops into the American red squirrel's head and he asks a question.

 **Hammy:** "How did you do that, huh?! Tell me! _Tell me_!"

 **Mark:** "I just glided down and made sure to land on the wolf's face."

 **Hammy:** "No, I meant, what _made_ you do that?"

It takes Mark a few seconds to think about what Hammy is trying to say. Just when he's about to ask the older squirrel to clarify some more, Mark understands Hammy's question. The red squirrel wants to know _where_ Mark had found the courage to come to his rescue.

 **Mark:** "Oh! Well, I saw how you just jumped down and started helping the others without a moment's thought—"

 **Hammy** (winks) **:** "I _told_ you I just do things before thinking."

 **Mark:** "Yeah, I remember. But after seeing you trip, I just...imagined I was Batman—the character I am whenever Richie and the others wanna pretend-play the 'Protectors of Peace'—and I wasn't afraid of the wolves anymore."

 **Hammy** (in comprehension) **:** "Ohhhhhhh." (Smiles) "Oh, oh, OH! Since you pretend to be Batman, how about I pretend to be Robin?! Or no, The Flash?! That'd be really, _really_ fun!"

Mark smiles at the excellent idea which reminds him that Hammy isn't as dumb as he seems, that there _is_ a working brain somewhere in the squirrel's skull. But before he can accept the cool proposal, a yell from below causes both squirrels to look down. The sight makes Hammy show his rare, yet always profound, serious-face. Mark is more surprised at Hammy's down-to-business tone when the latter squirrel speaks than he is with the...disturbing things happening below.

 **Hammy:** "Don't look at it, Mark. Climb on my back and hold tight, I'm taking you home right now."

Mark obeys and the two squirrels flee from the scene.

* * *

A few moments after Hammy and Mark began their conversation above

Kale is at the front of the wolf pack and clears the dirt cloud first, but he still has to stop until his eyes and lungs stop irritating him. He had no way of predicting that the super-fast squirrel would return, and might have turned around to deal with the rodent if it isn't for the sight of the prey animals that are 30 yards away from the neutral zone and getting further away. He runs after them, determined to get some kind of gain from this hunt of his that has gone horribly awry. He clears 20 yards in five seconds when his eyes look slightly to the left, and he notices Bone-Chomper Gabby up ahead. She had also been at the front of the wolf pack when the dust whirlwind happened, and recovered much quicker than Kale. Judging from her feet motion and increasing running speed, Kale deduces that she is going to try to head off the prey before it gets to the neutral playground zone. He should feel relieved that Gabby is on top of things, but Kale's eyes widen in fear instead.

He _can't_ let that happen, it will cheapen his glory. _He_ needs to be the one who prevents the prey from escaping, rather than the one who flanks them from behind. A personal grudge he has against Gabby also plays a role in Kale's decision. Being the daughter of Godfather Leo, Gabby is spoiled by both of her parents. She always got everything she ever asked of them: food, hunting tips, and the honor to lead easy hunts while still getting great prestige from succeeding, which she bragged her mouth off about to everyone in the Bone-Chomper Pack. _She_ may be content with her place in the pack, but Kale is _not_. He and his brothers had to work their way to the top and earn their rights to privileges the hard way. And now, Gabby will have twice as much of what she normally gains if she saves Kale's hunt from failing, and Kale will be treated the same way as before, or probably even worse than things already are for him.

To stop that from happening he runs fast, gets alongside Gabby, and shoves her to the left side, causing her to fall to the ground and roll down a hill. Before she can blurt out a curse, Kale responds, "You can't snatch victory for ya'self, spoiled brat! This day is _mine!_ "

From that moment on, Kale runs after the two raccoons, the duck, the skunk, and the raccoon-possum hybrid and keeps his eyes locked onto them. He is dead-set on getting them, and nothing else in the universe matters to him except that. He ignores the voice in his head to check and see if Gabby isn't hurt, ignores any other animals that he can easily get instead, and ignores the cries of his pack from behind to slow down.

It turns out that he should not have ignored his surroundings.

There is a loud _C-CLANK!_ , followed by an awful pain coming from his hind legs, and then he is tumbling head over heels in a roll with the same g-force of a human jumping out of a car going well over a freeway speed limit. He flails, having no control over his body's momentum, and when he exits the roll he makes a skid mark in the ground for five feet. Now stopped, he looks back and discovers that each of his hind legs have been caught in a fox trap, the latter looking and functioning similar to a bear trap minus the spikes and being much smaller in size. He tries to move his injured limbs only to yell in pain and in horrible realization that the legs are broken.

That's when the _real_ screaming starts.

Kale doesn't know how long he spends groaning and yelling "Ow!", but he stops when he hears a familiar voice say "Ahem," which causes him to look up. He smiles in relief at the sight of his pack gathered around him, and doesn't hesitate to speak.

 **Kale:** "Oh, thank goodness that you've all come. Get me outta deese traps!"

 **Leo:** "What happened to ya?"

Kale opens his mouth to respond, but Gabby wobbles in front of her father and talks before the young wolf can.

 **Gabby:** "I'll tell ya what, papa. I was about ta ice da prey when this loser shoved me out of the way while claimin', " (imitating Kale's voice) " 'Dis day is mi—ine.' " (normal voice tone) "I rolled down a hill and sprained my left hind ankle hard against a rock at da bottom." (Glaring at Kale) "Tanks ta dis loser, I won't be able ta hunt 'til I feel betta!"

Kale is mortified by his actions, and didn't intend for things to go that bad for her. He's more ashamed by the angry looks that the others give him after they heard Gabby, so Kale really has to talk honestly and apologetically to avoid a serious beat-down.

 **Kale:** "I-I'm sorry, Gabby. I _really_ am. I didn't want that ta happen to ya, honestly. I just wanted ta I get the kill so bad. It was da only way all of you'd stop treatin' me like a pup. I was bein' stupid and shouldn't've done that. "

 **Leo** (coldly) **:** "No. Ya _shouldn't_. And ya know why? 'Cuz a real pack leader puts all selfish desires away and does what's best for da pack, not what's best for his or herself. This hunt wasn't 'bout getting kills, ya glory-hound, it was about leadership."

True to her jerky nature, Gabby thinks it's the perfect time to curry more favor from the pack at Kale's expense, to make him further understand how bad he messed up.

 **Gabby:** "Speakin' of which, did I mention dat he called me a spoiled brat and accused me of tryin' to snatch the victory for myself?"

 **Emmy** (incredulously and while going from looking at her daughter to staring at Kale) **:** "He _did_ not!"

 **Gabby** (turns to Emmy) **:** "You's heard me, mom." (Looks at Kale) "And yeah, I tend to brag a lot, but all my actions are for the glory of da pack."

 **Leo:** "Which brings me to my next point. You demonstrated yourself to be unworthy of commandin' a pack. Not just for your incompetence of keeping you's wits about your surroundings, but also for lettin' you's childish desires cost us a meal, and my daughter's ankle...Not to mention territory. And deeper still: our pack's _reputation_."

Kale lowers his head in shame because everything his godfather has said, both before and after his daughter and mate butted in, is true. He looks to his brothers in hopes that they, as his only blood-relatives, would be more understanding. But even they look at him with the same patronizing gaze of bitter scrutiny upon hearing the godfather's last statement.

 **Leo:** "Word a' dis failed hunt will spread from the mouth's of da kids who got away. Our enemies won't take us seriously. Prey critters won't fear us as much. Our friends will look upon our pack with less respect. Oth'a wolves won't wanna join us like they used to. And it's all _your_ fault, Track.

"Stop us from treatin' ya like a pup? You're less than a pup, you're a _whelp_." I've known pups with more sense and devotion than you."

As he was talking, Leo had caught glimpses of Luciano and Bugsy waiting for a chance to speak and restraining themselves when it was clear that Leo wasn't done yet. Now that he is, he looks at Kale's brothers and nods, which causes them to step forward.

 **Luciano:** "You've disgraced not only the Bone-Chompers, but our own family name too. If mom and dad had a grave, they'd be rollin' over in it now."

 **Bugsy:** "But they don't, 'cuz the puma ate 'em bone and all. And now I wish dat you'd have been lunched too."

Saying all they have to say, they step back into the line. As Kale fights back the tears of his brothers' remorseless words, Leo moves forward and gets up close and personal with Kale. For the first time in his life, Kale is afraid of his own godfather. The pack leader's violation of Kale's personal space is compounded by Leo's eyes. They are cold and brutal, which sends a chill down the younger wolf's spine. Kale would shrink back in fear, but his broken hind legs prevent him from doing that, so he has no choice but to take the brunt of Leo's chastising.

 **Leo:** "The only reason I's haven't ended ya already is because of da vow I made to your mom and dad to take care of you and ya bros. You're still family, but not a Bone-Chomper, which is why we'll leave ya to stew in you's own muck."

The wolves turn around and start heading in the opposite direction of Kale—his two brothers leading the way which means they're madder at him than Leo. Kale panics and starts pleading with his pack. But the more he talks, the more obvious it becomes that they agree with their godfather's reasoning, and they add some extra reasons of their own.

 **Kale:** "Wait! None of you can just leave me here's!"

 **Clyde:** "Watch us, whelp."

 **Kale:** "My legs're broken!"

 **Bonnie:** "Sucks to be you's."

 **Kale:** "I'll be helpless against any other predator!"

 **Nelson:** "You're da weak link. Time for us ta sever it. That's dee only way our pack's rep can be restored."

 **Kale:** "I'll make it up to all of ya, no matter how many years it takes! I _promise_! Just help me get outta deese traps!"

 **Emmy:** "Do it yaself. Prove ta us dat you's a real Bone-Chomper."

 **Leo:** "My mate's right, Track. We'll accept ya back into our pack if can simply come back home."

Kale is horrified at the offer and what it would require him to do.

 **Kale:** "Without you's help I'd have ta—!"

Being a wolf of few words, Dillinger says his short response as bluntly and rudely as possible, like the true conscience-less sociopath he is.

 **Dillinger:** "Yep. We know. Get to it. Liability oth'a'wise."

Gabby on the other hand is more talkative and fills in the details just a bit more.

 **Gabby:** "Even coyotes will gnaw a limb off to escape, and coyotes are scraggly 'lil wimps! As a wolf, you should be able ta take the pain without passin' out. As a Bone-Chomper, you should be able ta hobble back to us before ya bleed ta death."

 **Kale:** "It's not hobblin', I'd have ta drag myself!"

 **Gabby:** "Then drag yourself. A true Bone-Chomper oughta be betta dan a regular wolf."

Neither Luciano nor Bugsy speak, which to Kale is worse than if they had joined the others in insulting him and rubbing it in. The pack is getting farther away with each step, causing Kale's eyes to shed tears as it is all too clear that they fully intend to literally leave him for dead. Desperation fills his voice when he speaks.

 **Kale** (yelling) **:** "Come back!"

 **Nelson:** "We wouldn't do that even if Godfather Leo ordered it. You's on your own, Track."

Kale's heart sinks along with the volume of his voice.

 **Kale:** "Come back..."

No one in his pack responds, so Kale decides to do the thing they're asking of him. He painstakingly turns his body and moves his hind legs so that he can reach them with his teeth. He takes a deep breath, thinks happy thoughts, and takes a bite—only to immediately let go of his right hind leg from the pain his sharp teeth bring to him. What's worse is that he can't bite down on a stick to relieve the pain because he needs his mouth to crudely amputate his legs.

 **Kale:** "Could you's folks at least help me out?! I'm tryin' to free myself like ya said!"

No one turns around, but Clyde looks to the wolves on his left and asks, "Any of you hear any-ting?"

 **Emmy:** "Nope."

 **Clyde** (looks to the wolves on his right) **:** "How 'bout you's?"

 **Leo:** "I don't hear nothin'."

Kale knows the reason why his pack even denies him assistance: even helping him will be a sign of weakness to the proud Bone-Chompers. He understands, but reflexively wonders in scorn, " _Stupid predator pride!_ "

He snaps out of it upon realizing that wishing for things to be different won't make it happen. He tries one more cry of help, or rather a threat in order to sound tough so that his pack will at least turn to look at him.

 **Kale:** "Don't leave me, or I swear ta get even with all of you's! You'll be sorry!"

Despite his best efforts, there is still a hint of anxiety in his voice, the toughness coming off as forced.

None of the wolves turn around, but Gabby speaks out by saying, "And we'll be waitin'. And tanks for giving us an excuse to ice ya if you's ever come back."

Kale immediately realizes the folly of his ways and comes clean, his voice full of fear and apology. Shameful, yes, but he'll do anything to convince them to help.

 **Kale:** "I was just kidding, honest! I thought if I acted tough you's would—"

 **Capone:** "We know, we ain't stupid. And by da way, every time you's open ya yap, ya make it easier for us to cut the weakest link—you—outta da pack like Nelson said. You're embarrassing yourself now, not us."

A few steps later and the pack disappears into the thick trees and foliage, leaving Kale alone. It's a useless waste of breath, but Kale still can't help to mutter one last thing in pathetic desperation brought about by crushed hopes and feelings.

 **Kale** (barely a whisper) **:** "Don't leave me..."

After taking in and letting out three deep breaths, it hits him all at once. His pack, his family, his brothers—his own flesh and blood—have deliberately abandoned him. He has shamed his parents, the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack, and the entire wolf species. He is crippled, in agonizing pain, and out of options. His sorrow prevents him from getting an adrenaline boost that would enable him to bite off both legs, not that he would be willing to do that anyway because he would bleed out and die. Faced with those insurmountable circumstances, his teenage body and mind do the only thing left for him to do.

He cries...Cries like he's never cried before. He cries every kind of cry a guy is capable of crying: quiet, to elevated, to loud; whimper to bawling at the top of his lungs; slow and drawn out groans to rapid and short groans; tears flowing with noise, tears flowing without noise; from inner emotional pain to external physical pain.

He ignores anything going on in the world that's located past his own fur coat...But the world past his fur coat doesn't turn a blind eye to him.

Or rather doesn't turn blind eye _ **s**_. Because no more than three pairs of those have been watching Kale from the cover of shrubs or behind trees ever since his pack arrived after the fox traps latched onto his legs.

The owners of the eyes then act.

* * *

 **Hope you liked the start of the story, and as usual with all of my fics, it'll get better as the chapters progress ;)**

 **Who are the owners of the eyes? What is their plan? Will it work in Kale's favor, or make things worse for him? Tune in next time to find out!**


	2. Hatred or Mercy?

**Hey hey! Didn't expect an update so soon, did ya?! Well the reason is because I have been working on this story for a while, and originally intended to post the whole thing by Christmas (of 2017). But as I wrote, the more new plot elements I added, and the more depth that I gave in character development and events, the slower my progress in story completion became. I haven't even started on the fourth chapter yet, so I doubt that I will be finished with everything by my original schedule, but I promise that the story will be much better as a result of me taking my time.**

 **And speaking of time, it's "time" for me to stop wasting yours, and to go ahead and ask you to enjoy:**

 **Chapter 2: Hatred or Mercy?**

At the opposite side of the large hedge bordering the Elysian Fields Estates, and located near a giant log, lives a group of 33 close friends and/or family members of various animal species. Leading the large family and friends is a 54-year-old, green-scaled, brown-shelled, and large-nosed box turtle named Verne, who has a mate named Velma (also 54) who is tan-scaled, wears a purple bow on her head, and has the same shell color and nose size as her hubby.

The other leader is a middle-aged, blue-eyed raccoon named RJ who has brown fur everywhere except his white ventral side. He has a dark brown stripe running from the back of his head down to his tail with three white rings, and a dark brown mask. His mate is the middle-aged opossum Heather who has white fur, sky-blue eyes, white spots on her ears, a black tail, and bangs on the middle of her forehead that curve down a centimeter between where her eyes are. Her father Ozzie, an older possum looks just like her minus the ear spots and bangs.

Next is the middle-aged, green-eyed female striped skunk, Stella, whose middle-aged mate is the white-furred, blue-eyed Persian cat Tiger (short for Prince Tigerious Mammhooht Shabbaz). Their nine-year-old daughter named (Princess) De'Ausha is a skunat—half skunk, half cat—who has the appearance of a less fat Persian cat with predominantly white fur, save for black stripes on her back and tail shaped like a skunk's white stripes. De'Ausha's face and eyes are those of her mothers, she inherited her big black nose from Tiger, and her skunk-shaped tail has a small dab of brown fur at the tip like a Persian cat. Hammy is the hyperactive middle-age American red squirrel with red fur everywhere except for his white fur from the cheeks down to his whole ventral side, emerald-green eyes, and buckteeth.

Speaking of buckteeth, the brown-furred, and gray-quilled older porcupines with brown eyes are named Lou and Penny. Their triplet 19 year old sons Bucky, Quillo, and Spike are chips off their old man's block, with the exception of having blue eyes. The only way to distinguish the three is that Bucky has regular-brown-colored ventral fur, Quillo has a light brown ventral fur, and Spike has a dark brown ventral fur. Annette is the name of the widowed older female porcupine with white and greyish fur, as well as black and white quills. Her triplet daughters, Emily, Rachel, and Emma are 19-years-old, look exactly like their mother, and are distinguished from one another by their height in which Emily is the tallest, Emma is the shortest, and Rachel is in between.

The only family members capable of flight are the brown-furred and black-winged fruit bats Simon, his mate Celine (each middle-aged), and their triplet 19-year-old daughters named Marilyn, Christine, and Claire. The adults are as tall as Hammy's shoulders, the daughters as tall as their parents' shoulders, and all have three small "finger-claws" located between the shoulder and the tip of their wings. The triplets are distinguished from one another by the length of their tails in that Marilyn has the longest, Christine is the second longest, and Claire has the shortest. Being blind they all wear sunglasses, carry retractable canes, and rely mainly on their senses of smell and hearing to get around; all of which has led to some delightful and slightly frustrating bumbling on their part, but the other family members are used to it.

There were two other raccoon families among the hedgies as well. The light-brown-furred, red bow-wearing, ocean-green-eyes-bearing, dark-browned-masked female named Luby, and her mixed-gray- and brown-furred mate Rick who has blue eyes and black mask fur. Both are middle-aged and have white fur on their ventral sides. The younger of Luby's and Rick's two nine-year-old twin sons, Ty(ler), has his father's fur coloration, a white ventral side, and his mother's dark brown mask. Roger, the first born son, has his father's black mask, his mother's ocean-green eyes, and unlike the rest of his blood-related family, he does not have any white fur on his ventral side, so his father's gray and brown coloration covers his whole body. Then there is the gray-furred older raccoon couple, Rogan and Sarah who have white fur on their ventral sides. Sarah has blue eyes and three white rings on her tail, whereas Rogan has ocean-green eyes, four rings on his tail, and a gray stripe shaped and located exactly like the one of his son, RJ, and daughter Rebecca. Rebecca is RJ's 16-year-old sister who has dark brown fur everywhere except her white ventral side, her back stripe is black in color, her eye color is a combination of ocean-green and teal-blue, and she wears two short red ribbons around her ears.

While on the subject of RJ, he and Heather have a six-year-old son named Bernard who, along with his twin sister Mary, is an opossaccoon, a hybrid of a raccoon and opossum. Like Mary, Bernard's body is shaped like a possum's, he has a bushy raccoon ring tail, and a black mask around his blue eyes. But unlike his sister, Bernard has raccoon ears and paws, his short raccoon snout has a black-colored possum-shaped nose, and he has his father's dark brown stripe running down his back.

Verne and Velma also have a child in the form of Verne's nephew Plushie, a 12-year-old box turtle with scales the color of Verne's green and Velma's tan combined, and a shell colored predominately yellow with black patches. Verne and Velma tried to have kids of their own, but discovered that Velma was barren. As depressing as the news was—even though some females just are like that—the turtle couple were not too bothered because they saw the rest of the family as their children, and still do to this day. But Plushie has given Verne and Velma the opportunity to take care of the closest individual to a biological son they will ever have. Truly, things have a way of turning out for the better.

 **Note** **: I have decided to retcon my initial reason for Verne and Velma not having kids of their own. As stated in** _ **Over the Hedge Soul Mates Part 2**_ **, they originally chose not to have any kids because there would be too many to take care of. But now the reason (Velma is barren) is more tragic, which makes Plushie coming into their lives all the more uplifting.**

It is almost dinner time for the large forest family, and all they need to do is wait for the arrival of three kids who should be on their way back home from playing with their friends at the playground area. Ten minutes ago, Hammy had come in and told the family about the dangerous ordeal that had occurred earlier: a wolf pack had tried attacking some of their children and their friends, but failed thanks to the kids' combined intelligence and diverse abilities. The hedgies left the task of adult supervision to the parents of De'Ausha's secret striped skunk crush, Ladarius. That's why they find it odd when they see Tyler, Mary, and Plushie coming home without the skunk parents in sight.

 **Verne:** "Well, there you three are. We were getting worried. And why isn't Jordan and Ahniyah with you?"

 **Ty:** "Mom, dad, everyone! We have to go!"

 **Rick:** "Go where?"

 **Ty:** "To the far side of the playground zone."

 **Luby:** "Why, Tyler, what's the matter?"

 **Plushie:** "One of our friends got injured and needs our help!"

 **Penny:** "Oh, jeepers. Who got hurt?"

 **Plushie:** "Brooke did, and she'll die without our help! Her parents don't have a first aid kit like Uncle RJ!"

 **Mary:** "We have to help her!"

 **RJ:** "How bad is Brooke's injury, Mary?"

 **Mary:** "There's no time to explain." (Tugging RJ's fur) "Like Ty said, we have to go now!"

 **Plushie:** "Yeah, we don't know how long she'll last!"

Everyone looks at Verne and RJ for direction. Because he was the original leader of the group, Verne speaks first.

 **Verne:** "Alright, people, does everyone agree that we need to go? Raise your paws."

Being the kind of family that always wants to help out others in need, all of the hedgies raise their paws...as Verne expects. The turtle nods at RJ, giving him the floor as co-leader and in confidence that the raccoon will say exactly what the turtle would.

 **RJ:** "And does anyone want to stay behind?"

All paws are down, which is understandable because the kids, teens, and adults are as curious as they are fearful of the condition Brooke is in right now."

 **RJ:** "Alright. Mary, Plushie, and Ty lead the way."

 **Verne:** "And don't go running ahead of them Hammy, because the rest of us know more about RJ's medical lessons than you do, and we may need to help Brooke as soon as we arrive."

 **Hammy:** "It'll be hard to go the same speed as everyone else, but I promise, Verne."

Verne grins at Hammy's big, toothy smile and how the squirrel salutes him like a drill sergeant. Hammy normally does that for RJ, but his doing this for Verne means that the rodent is starting to see Verne as capable of being fun as RJ, something that Verne has been working on ever since meeting the raccoon. But the turtle has more important things to ponder now, and gets his head back in the game.

 **Verne** (to the others) **:** "If anyone wants to grab a snack to-go, now's the time."

 **RJ:** "I also gotta get my bag, so I'll catch up with the rest of ya soon."

Hammy, De'Ausha, Tiger, Bucky, Quillo, Spike, and Rebecca get some chips or cookies from the pile of food at the log and take their choices of food with them as they go with the ones who didn't. The latter have lost their appetite in anticipation of what lies ahead of them, and in urgency to help out Brooke.

* * *

Meanwhile, ex-Bone-Chomper Kale has been groaning and crying nonstop, still trying to fathom the pain of his legs and the sorrow of his pack abandoning him like a rotten rabbit carcass that's been sitting on hot pavement for three days. He is outside the neutral zone, so if the den of foxes or one grizzly bear that have territory of their own nearby come wandering his way, he'd be helpless...if the skunk spray doesn't keep them away that is. Oddly, the teenage wolf doesn't care if his noise attracts a predator that comes to finish him off, quite frankly he welcomes that outcome—anything to end his life of physical and emotional pain that is roiling him on the inside and outside.

But the one thing he doesn't intend to happen is what comes to pass. His ears perk up at the sound of leaves rustling from moving feet coming from somewhere in front of him. He has been crying with his head down, and now brings it up to meet his doom, turns his head in the proper direction—

—But sees a group of prey animals approach him instead. And three are the young turtle, raccoon, and raccoon-possum hybrid he tried to eat from before, which means they've brought their parents and friends along with them. Apparently, Kale had been crying so hard that he didn't notice their approach, not even by scent. That also means that they must have heard him from far away, the realization making him feel embarrassed. They heard him, a wolf, a vicious predator, cry like a helpless pup. That's one way to lessen his fearsome demeanor.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Well isn't dat just great! Now I can add humiliation to da list. They've come to gloat 'n taunt me...What prey animal_ wouldn't _? It's their dream come true ta insult someone higher on the food chain!_ "

To Kale's surprise, no one insults him when they speak. In fact, they seem to be mad at three who brought the rest of them here.

 **Verne** (to Plushie, Ty, and Mary) **:** "What the devil?—You three lied to us! The animal you want us to help _is_ _a __**wolf?!**_ "

Ozzie, Heather, Mary, and Bernard go "Uhh!" and play possum, which causes Kale to snuff in humor, but his face shows no smile. Then, his eyebrows raise up upon recalling the turtle's words.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Wait, did that turtle just say dey were here ta_ help _me?_ "

The thought is preposterous and makes Kale think the offer to help has to be some kind of trick. But try as he might, he can't find the logic in it, so he decides to see how the conversation plays out.

 **Ty:** "Well...We knew none of you would want to help out if we told you it was a wolf."

As soon as Tyler finishes speaking and Stella starts talking next, Hammy's mind wanders like it usually does, as do his legs and he zooms over to the wolf. For the first time, the other hedgies are been so focused on talking to three kids that they didn't notice Hammy zooming around the wolf.

 **Stella:** "You got that right! And I bet this'un is from the pack that Hammy said tried to eat you three!"

It is not a question, so Plushie comes clean on behalf of the other two.

 **Plushie** (sighs) **:** "Yes ma'am, he is. And we're all sorry about lying..."

By now, Hammy returns to the group, who suddenly notice his zooming and look at him.

 **Hammy:** "His legs are stuck in sportswear leg braces. I never thought they made those for animals."

Kale's eyes widen as he drops his left lips down and raises his right lip up; giving a hilariously funny expression of absolute, utter, total, confused shock. His surprise is two-fold: he thought that the squirrel was smart, given how it created the dirt whirlwind that defeated the Bone-Chomper Pack, but that's apparently not the case. Leg braces for animals?! How could any creature be this stupid? Kale thinks this rodent may have sniffed too much glue as a kid. And second, how could a squirrel know what leg braces are, but not fox traps? The rodent obviously knows a bit about the human world, but why didn't he learn about something important in the animal world?

The others hedgies are just as baffled as Kale because they are still looking at Hammy in confusion and only now does one of them leave their stupor and addresses Hammy.

 **Lou:** "They're fox traps, Hammy."

 **Hammy:** "Ohhhhhhh..."

 **Emma:** "Where did the fox traps come from, I wonder?"

 **Rebecca:** "I guess this means human hunters have been violating the state law of not entering these woods."

The possums stand back up after some of the hedgies shake them awake. With his daughter paying attention, RJ, who isn't as shocked as the other family members, talks to the three children in a neutral yet concerned voice tone.

 **RJ:** "Look kids, I know you're being kind and thoughtful of others like we've taught you, but the moment we free him from the traps he'll want to attack us."

 **Kale thinking** (in disbelief) **:** " _Free me from da traps?!_ "

The thought of that is absolutely out of the question for Kale. He might be weakened and broken, but he is not going to suffer the dishonor of having prey animals help him!

 **Kale:** "I don't need yuh help!"

The hedgies are quite surprised at the youthful voice of the predator, especially the three younger kids because they vividly remember that a deep voice had given the order for the wolves to start the attack. Evidently, the wolf had made himself sound older for intimidation purposes, but only Penny voices the group's surprise.

 **Penny:** "Big jeepers, you're just a kid."

 **Kale** (low and angry) **:** "I'm...not...a...kid! I'm 15!"

 **Ozzie:** "So you're still technically a kid. Twenty is the age when you stop calling someone a kid."

Kale lets out a sharp snarl which causes Ozzie to faint...again. This time Kale smiles.

 **Kale:** "Heh-heh. Possums're always too easy, and stupid. So stupid dat if one fell off'a cliff, he'd have ta ask directions for which way is down."

Heather walks in front of the group and says in a raised and agitated voice, "That's my dad who you just insulted!"

Kale snarls at her, but Heather doesn't play possum—something that Kale finds utterly unbelievable.

 **Kale:** "What the? You didn't faint?!"

 **Heather:** "Possums aren't as 'easy' or stupid as you think."

 **RJ:** "Settle down love, we need to focus on what to do with this wolf."

Kale's eyes widen. This is quickly turning into the strangest day of his life. First he laid eyes on a half possum and half raccoon animal, then his hunt backfired, then he gets his legs broken, then his pack abandoned him, then the animals he tried to eat returned to help him, then the squirrel who was smart enough to dispatch his pack turned out to be a dumb klutz, then the possum didn't play possum, and now—"

 **Kale:** " 'Love?' Are saying dat...? You two...?"

The wolf pauses for two seconds. In the first second he stares at RJ and Heather, and then looks at Mary in Bernard for a second. Kale's shock causes him to shout his next words at RJ and Heather.

 **Kale:** " _ **EWW!**_ You's two're _**sick!**_ You're _**disgusting!**_ You're absolutely _**gross!**_ Two different species becomin' mates and having kids is more messed up than marryin' and startin' a family with your own siblings or parents!"

 **Stella** (steps forward) **:** "Well FYI, they, like me and my Persian cat mate—"

 **Kale:** "—You too?!"

 **Stella:** "—Love each other from the bottom of their hearts. You can't let species confine love."

Stella wanted to go on and gas the canine right when he disrespectfully interrupted her, but decided she needed to finish talking. Besides, the time may present itself to punish the wolf just yet. And his next words make it harder for her to restrain herself.

 **Kale:** "You do if you wanna follow da laws of nature. As if skunks already weren't as nasty as a pile'a rat droppings—not ta mention you's da _same color_ —but now you's mates with a cat?!" (To De'Ausha, Mary, and Bernard) "Not only are all of ya freaks, but you're parents have doomed you's, and frankly themselves. You's three are sterile, so you'll never have your own kids and your parents won't have no grandkids."

 **Bernard** (in defiance) **:** "You don't know that for sure..." (In genuine interest) "By the way, what's 'sterile' mean?"

 **Tiger** (To Bernard) **:** "We will talk about it later." (To Kale) " _You_ have bigger problems to worry about."

That's it for the wolf. He is through with the prey talking back to him like they have the authority in this conversation, and intends to restore the balance of nature; a task of great importance instilled into him both as a wolf and by his family and friends. As prey, the other creatures can't grasp the obligation that predators owe to Nature who gave Kale's species their superior abilities that made them higher on the food chain.

 **Kale** (smirks) **:** "No, all'a _you_ have bigger problems. My pack will come by any second now, and they'll free me and we'll eat each 'n every one of ya." (Looking at Tiger) "Starting with you, ya fat bag of litter box," (Looking at Stella) "your hot-garbage-stinkin' skunk mate," (looking at RJ) "the dirt-colored, trash-panda raccoon," (looking at Heather) "and the oinky-oink pig-nosed, tree-rat possum."

The others get edgy and start looking around in fear, too afraid to even return the specist insults...all but three. And the first one's words cause the hedgies to listen intently and without the threat of an ambush.

 **Plushie:** "You're lying. We saw it all. You're pack blames you for ruining their hunt."

Kale's eyes widen.

 **Ty:** "They said you disgraced their names, which is why they refused to help you."

Kale gulps.

 **Mary:** "And then they left you, even when you begged them to come back."

Kale lets out a shameful sigh, and Stella capitalizes on it.

 **Stella:** "You said interspecies mates and kids is worse than inbreeding. Even if you were right about me, my mate, RJ, Heather and our three kids, at least we have the love of a family. Somethin' that seems to be lackin' in your pack."

The more Stella spoke, the more Kale lowers his head in defeat. His ace in the hole has failed...and yes, the skunk is right about the lack of love his pack has shown Kale today. But he still has to act like a predator in the presence of prey animals even if it's the last thing he'll ever do.

 **Kale:** "Every time you speak, it makes me madder."

 **Lou:** "Well that's too bad. We were willing to help you if you were a bit nicer."

 **Kale:** "I already told you's, I don't need ya help!"

 **Velma:** "But you _do_. We can see it in your eyes and face. You're in a lot of pain."

 **Ty:** "And you don't wanna bite your legs off either."

As expected, Hammy speaks absent-mindedly-happy, as if he doesn't know the seriousness of the situation.

 **Hammy** (to Kale) **:** "Everyone needs help! It's a sign of strength and not weakness to get help!"

Kale is annoyed at the squirrel's happy-go-lucky attitude, which the wolf theorizes can only exist because the rodent is more gullible than a two year old, and his aggravated tone reflects this.

 **Kale:** "It is for a wolf, ya stupid, bite-sized, nut-eatin', tree-bark-mouse!"

Hammy gasps and looks at Kale in heartbreak—at first. But three seconds later, just when everyone looks at Hammy (which causes Kale to wonder just what he did) to comfort the American red squirrel, Hammy's face shows anger. It's a rare sight indeed, but Hammy has learned from the time when Verne had called him and the whole family "stupid" the first week RJ came to them; has learned that Kale, like the turtle, has spoken out of anger. He recalls from his own past of how others would walk all over him because of his lack of intellect. The hedge family has allowed him to live a life relatively free of ridicule, but it still comes up every now and then, and he usually needs others to fight for him. This time however, Hammy can fight for himself. He's not angry at the insults themselves—he has been called worse things than that—but with how the wolf insulted him right after Hammy had tried to lighten Kale's spirits. That is just plain rude and low, causing Hammy to understand why the others are having a hard time wanting to help the predator out.

When Hammy speaks, he's all serious.

 **Hammy** (walking toward Kale's head and looking him in the eyes) **:** "I may not be very smart, but I'm." (Takes one step forward and points his finger aggressively) " _Not_. Stupid."

Kale smirks at how his insult upsets the rodent, and feels the need to rub it in some more. After all, it's only fair in Kale's opinion. This squirrel is the main reason the hunt failed, and is ipso facto responsible for the wolf's predicament. Had Hammy not come to the little critters' rescue, Kale would never have had to shove Bone-Chomper Gabby out of the way, or run fast without looking at the ground which led to him getting caught in the traps.

 **Kale:** "Yeah, I take dat back. 'Stupid' is honoring ya. You're really a no-brained, idiot-moron."

What happens next is mind-blowing.

Just as Kale lets out one "Ha" in laughter of his own insult, Hammy—whose heart hardens even more than it already has—zooms over to Kale's legs and bites both ankles. The wolf groans in agony, and the others are unpleasantly stunned that Hammy would break like that. Kale immediately regrets pushing the squirrel's buttons, but out of concern for his own well-being rather than a sense of guilt for what he has said to Hammy. Kale's ankles have been in enough pain already, and just when the wolf was getting used to the pain enough so that it doesn't hurt him as much, Hammy bit him, which somehow opens the door to a whole new world of hurt. The fox traps seem to have a mind of their own in that, after Hammy has added a new source of pain to Kale, the devices attack those fresh sources with full force. The nerves and pain receptors in his legs are now hurting as bad as the instant when the traps first snapped shut on the canine, and show no sign of letting up.

The squirrel intends to bite some more, but Verne runs over to him and restrains Hammy.

 **Verne:** "Hammy, _stop it!_ "

 **Hammy:** "He deserved it!"

 **Verne:** "You're right. He's making it hard for all of us to simply speak to him, much less help him, but don't allow him to turn you into a _bully_ like he is." (Thinking) " _Even though he kind of already has..._ "

Still, Verne has chosen his words wisely, and his emphasis on "bully" is as intentional as it is effective. By utilizing a noun that Hammy has plenty of experience with, it makes the squirrel enter deep thought to ponder both his past and his recent action in the most profound way, his short attention span suddenly becoming long-term. Hammy remembers how he has been teased, beaten up, scared to death, deceived, and taken advantage of by the bullies from his childhood, and how horrible all of that was for him and his biological family. Just as Verne had made promises to Hammy when the young squirrel had let the turtle adopt him—the most important one being that Verne would never call Hammy "stupid"—Hammy had also made promises to his new father figure and family (which consisted of Verne, Penny, Lou, Ozzie, and an eight-year-old Heather). Hammy's cornerstone promise had great personal value to him: to be the greatest optimist of all time who would not let what others say get him down, or allow himself to turn into a bully. Verne had broken his most important promise 10 years ago (but was forgiven), and now Hammy realizes he just broke his own promise. It's one of the worst feelings he has ever felt, and his short attention span cannot take his mind off of it. Fortunately, there _is_ a way for the pain to go away that he remembers from when Verne called him and the others "stupid," and Hammy wastes no time in doing it.

 **Hammy** (with watering eyes) **:** "I'm sorry, Verne..." (Looks to the others) "I'm sorry, everyone." (To Kale) "And I'm sorry, Wolfie...I'm sorry for becoming a bully, even for a moment..."

The hedgies smile and bring it all in for a group hug with Hammy in the center. The sight of the prey animals before him even makes Kale feel sad despite having no context to understand what Hammy really meant when he apologized to everyone. Again, it's not because the wolf wishes he could take back what he said—he'd been raised by the biggest, narcissistic, egomaniacs of all time to do that—but because he had tried the same thing with his pack, tried to apologize from the bottom of his heart, only for them to reject him...like the egomaniacs they all are. He can tell that this group of prey animals is radically different from the lessons of his own upbringing; perhaps the hedgies are closer than most normal families. This, coupled with some reflection of his harsh family life, makes him feel great envy.

Kale is still making that expression of longing for something he wishes he had in his life, when the group looks back at him upon finishing the hug. Before he can ask if they expect him to apologize, Velma speaks.

 **Velma:** "You see what you've done? You're attempts to drive us apart only makes us stronger than ever. And you know that, it's in your eyes."

 **Celine:** "It is?"

Remembering the limitations that the bats' blindness creates, Annette says, "Yes, Celine, you better believe it."

The bats go "Oh" in comprehension, and Kale wishes he could bite himself hard on the ear for getting so lost in dreamland that he forgot to drop his facial expression.

 **RJ:** "I haven't met many wolves in my life, but I encountered enough to tell you that most wouldn't look at us like the way you just did. I gave that same look at this group" (motions his arm to the others around him) "when I was unsure of whether I wanted to be a part of something I thought I would never be good with: a family. So I think you're different from most wolves, I think you're a good kid deep down. So let's make a deal. If you promise not to try to eat us, we will get you out of the traps and fix you up."

The instant RJ finishes, two gray-furred raccoons push their way into the front of the group and get next him. This isn't the first time Kale notices these two. They had caught his attention as soon as the prey family arrived. Throughout every exchange that has happened ever since the hedgies first laid eyes on the wolf, the older raccoons had looked at Kale with fierce expressions...like the wolf is responsible for every disaster and atrocity in human history.

Up to this point, RJ's and Rebecca's parents, Rogan and Sarah—who have a long and ugly history with wolves—have been using some major willpower and self-control to keep themselves from lashing out at Kale, both verbally and physically. They have been able to do so solely because they highly doubted that anyone in the family would be foolish enough to offer the wolf any assistance. They had actually been glad that Kale insulted Hammy, and with the squirrel's action against the canine because that should have been the last straw, should have convinced everyone not to help the wolf. But now that moment has happened, and from their own son no less, so their reactions are more reflexive than conscious choice.

 **Rogan:** "How can you say that, son?! It was because of wolves that we had to abandon you when you were two-years-old!"

 **Sarah:** "It was because of wolves that you had to grow up without a family until you met the others! Wolves are the reason we couldn't raise you!"

RJ knows he should have thought harder about how his parents would react before offering to help Kale, but now must do his best to convince them. And he has a good idea where to start one second after his mother's words end.

 **RJ:** "I understand that's how you feel. But that's also the reason why I met my new family in the first place."

 **Rogan:** "That doesn't change the fact that all wolves are sadistic, blood-thirsty monsters that have no hearts, no conscience, no feelings, and no guilt for their actions! You're wrong about this guy being different! You don't know of any of the things he's done to other animals, or _how_ he's harmed them!"

 **Sarah:** "We don't either, but we don't need to. You heard Mary and her friends! This wolf _led_ a hunt that targeted Tyler, Plushie, and your own daughter! How can you possibly want to help him after that?! This guy's pack encouraged him to bite off his own legs to get himself free of the traps, and left him to die when he couldn't! What makes you think he's any different from his pack?!"

 **RJ:** "I wanna help him because..."

RJ is briefly stumped on what to say, and after glancing at Kale he finds his reason and looks his mom back in the eye.

 **RJ:** "Just look at him. He's miserable, all alone, and is gonna lose his legs if we don't do anything. I know what it's like to not have the use of my hind legs, and I wouldn't wish that horrible fate even on my worst enemies. The only thing worse than being unable to play with my kids and their cousins, or going on heists, or doing the other things I liked with all of you, or moving around on my own when I really needed it, is if I had died. This poor guy doesn't have his family to help him get through any of that, or to tend his injuries."

Again, lacking any manners and the ability to even _try_ to empathize with an animal lower on the food chain, Kale snaps back at RJ in a spitting tone.

 **Kale:** " 'Miserable,' 'poor'...Ha! I _knew_ you's couldn't resist insultin' me. Bet'chu were lookin' forward to it ever since I called ya a trash-panda."

 **RJ** (aghast) **:** "Don't you know when someone is trying to help you out?"

 **Rogan:** "You see how ungrateful he is, RJ? We should just leave him to rot, it's what he deserves! That'll leave one less predator to endanger the lives of our family and all the other families living in these woods!"

Many of the hedgies don't offer any resistance, either being convinced by Rogan and Sarah's words, or relying on past knowledge and fear regarding wolves. Even Kale feels glad that, if his reputation as a Bone-Chomper can't be secured, at least his reputation as a wolf proceeds him. However, a few still want to help Kale out.

 **Simon:** "But doing that would go against everything this family was built on: accepting differences. We'd all be no better from what you accused wolves of being like if we don't do something to help him. Don't forget that I frightened all of you the first night we met, and you still helped me and family out by giving us fruit and later accepting us into your family."

 **Verne:** "But you and your family are bats, fruit bats at that, and this guy" (points to Kale) "is a wolf. A full-fledged carnivore."

 **Emily:** "Is your tail tingling, Uncle Verne?"

Verne's brow furrows and his eyes widen as the others turn to look at him, even Kale who has no idea what the others are talking about. But they do know, and are awaiting his judgement which will make the decision final.

 **Verne:** "Why y-yes it is. And we all know what that means. My tingle is never wrong."

 **RJ:** "I never figured you as the lying type, Verne."

 **Verne:** "What do you mean? I'm not lying."

 **RJ:** "Then why did you stutter when you told us your tail was tingling? Your eyes were wandering too, not to mention they were wide."

 **Verne thinking:** "Now _he decides to not play around with me..._ " (Out loud) "Okay, my tail isn't tingling and I'm sorry for lying. But c'mon guys, we can't trust a wolf!"

 **Roger:** "Yeah, it's like the story of that girl in red, and the three pigs that Uncle Verne read to us when we were younger. This wolf is a lying schemer and won't stop until we're all in his belly."

 **Ty:** "Those were just kid stories. And I find it strange that I, your _younger_ brother, am not influenced by it." (Smart-alecky) "Who's being a gullible noob now?"

Before Roger can move a single muscle to lunge at his brother, Luby grabs him tight by the shoulders and says, "Not now, Roger. This is bigger than your brother's insult."

 **Rogan** (to the hedgies) **:** "We also can't keep him around because he's a health hazard. He stinks worse than a slaughterhouse at a sewage run-off from being skunked, his breath smells even worse—it's cloying and gagging—and he'll howl at the moon in the middle of the night and wake everyone up."

 **Sarah** (to Kale) **:** "Not to mention you're _annoying_ accent and slang words will drive us crazy. Are you so megalomaniacal that you think you need to sound 'tough' like Italian mobsters, you _Godfather_ -wannabe? You realize you're a wolf, right?! That's tough enough!"

Kale extends his neck forward as far as he can to bite Sarah, but can only get a few centimeters without using any of his legs which he forgets to use in his fit of rage. And by the time he realizes that he should drag himself forward, the pain form the fox traps and the distance at which Sarah backs up prevents him from achieving any element of surprise. He doesn't hesitate to respond, though.

 **Kale** (vexed) **:** "Hey rabies-face, _that_ is specist! All wolves talk like dis! It's in our genes, so we can't help it! Just like _your_ species can't help to steal everything ya see, even in cesspool garbage dumpta's! And wolves howlin' at da moon is just as important for nature as roosters crowin' at the dawn."

Rogan and Sarah get a sense of déjà vu when they hear Kale mention raccoons always stealing things; what the wolf Shark-Bite Silver Fang had told the two of them when he thought they were stealing his fiancé's wedding ring, which changed the raccoons' lives for the worst. The memory makes the elder raccoons feel joy at how the tables have turned in their favor now.

 **Rogan:** "Doesn't feel good does it, to have prey smack-talk _you_ for a change?!"

 **Hammy** (to Rogan and Sarah) **:** "Hey! Don't become bullies!"

With the recent memory of what Hammy told the others earlier, Rogan and Sarah divert their raccoon intelligence from changing everyone's mind about taking the wolf in, to focusing on how to respond to Hammy's very good point. Even in spite of that sobering moment, Rogan and Sarah are too fixated on putting the wolf's hopes down, from years of anger and sorrow that they are unleashing in a different way than they originally did after Shark-Bite Silver Fang died from being shot by an animal control officer 16 years ago. Back then, their reaction had been love and relief. Now it is malice and hatred.

 **Rogan** (kneels down to look Hammy in the eyes) **:** "Hammy, wolves are among the biggest bullies in the animal kingdom, and they're too evil to change because of their egos."

 **Sarah:** "Their alphabet begins and ends with 'bully.' We're not bullying him, we're just giving him a taste of his own medicine. It's called tough love, he'll only change if he realizes just how bad he has become."

Rogan and Sarah are very happy when their hostility towards wolves seems to convince the family that helping out Kale will be a bad idea...just as they wanted. As chance would have it, RJ looks at his parents and sees his dad quickly smile while nodding his head so slightly that it almost isn't a nod. That's when the 32-year-old raccoon figures out that his skills of manipulation that he used while a loner weren't from his own talents. He had thought it was the coldness that he developed as a result of growing up all by himself without love or a family, but now knows it was inherited.

But then someone offers an interesting compromise to the problem the group is facing.

 **Annette:** "So if we can't have him living with us until he feels better, how about we just free him from the traps and let him go back to his home? His pack can take care of him."

Although RJ, Ty, Mary, Plushie, Hammy, and Simon and his family don't join, several other animals nod in agreement.

 **Kale:** "They won't...I've disgraced da pack name. And I won't be able ta get back home without all four legs. I gotta scale lots'a hills, a mountain side, and—"

Kale stops the words when he suddenly realizes that he just spoke out loud instead of in his mind. It seems that the pain and the prospect of being free lowered his egotistic defense. He _really_ wishes his pack was around him now...Not because he wants them to save him, but so they can smack him upside the head for letting himself slip up like this. Thankfully, the prey animals don't fault him for this, but for their own reasons rather than for his sake.

 **Rogan** (looking Kale in the eyes) **:** "Even if we do free you like Annette says, you wouldn't hesitate to turn on us!"

 **Sarah:** "My mate's right. Those kid stories about your species being big and bad are true!"

As Sarah continues, Roger looks at Ty to smile and stick out his tongue while using his pointer finger to pull down his lower right eyelid. This time Rick restrains Ty, and Luby gives Roger a hard and fast head tap to make him stop. Kale catches sight of this and remembers a similar exchange that happened between him and his brothers when his parents were still around; of him sticking it to Barker (now Luciano) and Marker (now Bugsy) and gloating about it with a funny face. The difference from the raccoons in front of him is that Kale's parents had stopped him when they grabbed him by the scruff of the neck with their teeth—much more painful than a hard tap. But the connection between predator and prey is made by him nonetheless, even if it is done by memory of earlier days.

 **Sarah:** "Wolves' treachery is more brutal and ruthless than the homicidal bear that RJ and Verne sent to the Rocky Mountains."

 **Rogan:** "Yeah. Compared to wolves, Vincent was a harmless, stuffed animal plush!"

For the first time since laying eyes on them, Kale is actually intrigued by the feat that the two older raccoons just said that their son and the turtle accomplished. Kale would give up his right foreleg to defeat a bear on his own. But for prey animals to do that...this group is either very lucky or very skilled. He believes it's just luck, but can't shake the urge to know more about this matter with a bear.

His thoughts are interrupted when his stomach growls, which makes all gazes fall upon him once again, only this time with concern and confusion.

 **Bucky:** "You hungry, dude?"

 **Kale** (gives a glare of disgust and talks in cynic sarcasm) **:** "I'm tried, I'm sore, and I haven't had a bite since dis morning, which was a snack instead of a real breakfast. So yeah, I'm pretty doggone hungry!"

After another stomach rumble and feeling more of his strength ebbing away, the wolf decides to clean up his act for the time being and worry about his survival over ego. He speaks more evenly now, non-confrontational for the first time since the conversation began, his change in tone clearly indicating that he has had a change of heart. To top it off, the desperation has returned to his voice which makes him sound and look just as helpless as he was when he first got caught. That is what truly convinces the hedgies of Kale's change, except Rogan and Sarah of course.

 **Kale:** "And if I somehow _do_ accept ya deal, I'd die'a starvation if I don't eat prey animals."

 **RJ:** "We can give you raw meat from packages. I think you'll find them very tasty."

 **Sarah:** "That's not good enough! You don't know wolves like your father and I do! Even if he eats all the meat from a grocery store, wolves will kill for pleasure and sport."

 **Rebecca:** "Look mom and dad, if you're afraid of this wolf eating any of us, we'll just climb up and sleep in trees. There's enough climbers among us to help the non-climbers."

The combination of hunger pains along with physical and emotional make Kale sound more desperate than ever.

 **Kale:** "I'd also have ta drag myself around, so you's probably hear me strugglin' ta move around if you's think I'm that stupid."

 **Rogan:** "It's not stupidity, it's _who you_ _are!_ You don't know what it's like—no predator knows what it's like—to be forced to abandon your two-year-old son while being relentlessly hunted by over 20 wolves! For 16 years my mate and I had to avoid deep sleeps, had to look over our shoulders, and had to wake up expecting to see our spouse dead beside us! We had to live with the knowledge that our son most likely died because we left him without our protection! The fear that wolves caused us almost drove us insane!"

 **Sarah:** "No wolf can ever understand what it feels like to leave behind your parents and sister—your entire life behind—forever and without any explanation to them!" (While pointing to the wolf-paw-shaped scars on her stomach area) "Or being clawed in the belly as a crude method of belated abortion! Or threatened with having your unborn child eaten before you die next!"

 **Rogan** (glaring and pointing at Kale in hatred) **:** "In short, you're a soulless **animal**. And there's not a single good thing that's resulted from your species' existence!"

Ironically, even among animals the spiteful tone of the word "animal" has the same sting as if a human called another human that word. No amount of pride or personal fortitude can keep Kale from wincing, or the others for staring at the older raccoon couple. Some are doing that in appreciation for a lesson well-taught, others are doing that in shock, and still others are doing that in disapproval. Moreover, RJ silently notes where his spontaneous, flaring anger comes from: it's inherited from his parents who are treating this wolf similarly to how RJ treated Rebecca after first meeting her. During that event, which was a celebration turned into a castigation, he had accused Rogan and Sarah of loving Rebecca more than him, which seemed like a big insult given that he had to grow up all by himself. Similar to that moment two years ago, and like the rest of the family, RJ is too shocked at the anger his parents are demonstrating to think of a way to convince them to help the injured and starving wolf.

 _All but one_ , and fortunately, _she_ comes up with the solution. She's able to do that because she has been the focus of conflict many times before and has become good at resolving it as a result.

 **Rebecca:** "You know that's not true, dad. You and mom wouldn't be here if it weren't for a wolf, and neither would RJ and me. Don't you remember that one wolf who fought the Silver Fang Pack near the cliff?"

Rogan and Sarah's eyes widen at their daughters words. Only now do they realize that in their hate they had forgotten the sacrifice of Blood Hound Silver Fang, who gave his life to save Rogan, Sarah, and a nine-hour-old RJ. First Blood Hound ruined his pack's ambush, went on to injure their leader Shark-Bite Silver Fang, then he fought off three wolves at once, and finally charged at the pack and sent them and himself falling off a cliff in which only Shark-Bite survived. Although Blood Hound's actions only made things worse by making Shark-Bite turn to his larger Wrong-Way in-law pack and their relatives to hunt the raccoons, his sacrifice at least made Rogan, Sarah, and RJ safe for a time. And as Rebecca said, she wouldn't have been born if Rogan and Sarah died at the cliff at the paws of the Silver Fangs. Even so, the older raccoons still don't want a wolf to be around them, but now they soften the blow whenever they speak.

 **Rogan:** "One good deed from one wolf isn't enough to redeem an entire species of its evil actions."

 **RJ:** "But this wolf isn't one of those who harmed you in the past. He's also still a kid, unlike the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs who were mostly adults."

Kale lets the use of the word "kid" slide because he is too intrigued by the story about a wolf that betrayed his pack in order to actually protect prey. Both he and his pack would consider the wolf who helped Rogan and Sarah as a weak disgrace to wolves everywhere, but Kale doesn't just want to know...he needs to know.

 **Kale** (to Rogan and Sarah) **:** "Why'd he do it? Why'd the wolf fight for you's two?"

Rogan and Sarah look at each other, each one's eyes asking the other to answer, before looking at Kale. They see true intrigue in his gaze, rather than the angered look of someone waiting to turn a speaker's words against him/her. Rogan slumps his shoulders down as if the mere mental recall has exhausted him, and speaks like it too.

 **Rogan:** "We honestly don't know. He never had the chance to explain to us."

As Sarah did after Blood Hound sacrificed his life, she recalls the words her mother once spoke to her, and says it out loud in realization of she and her mate's mistake of unjustly treating Kale like a Silver Fang, Wrong-Way, or Wrong-Way-Kin wolf.

 **Sarah:** "My best guess is that, just because some animals may do terrible things doesn't mean they don't have a heart."

 **Kale:** "Sounds pretty vague ta me. Ouch!"

He physically cringes as more pain shoots through his legs, then resorts to the advice of Bone-Chomper Clyde who taught him what to do to reduce pain.

 **Kale:** "Ahh—!"

Given the way Kale's face twists, and how his voice tone changes with it, the parents of the children who are younger than the bat and porcupine triplets cover their kids' ears tight to protect them from the slew of bad words that the wolf yells. The smaller kids hear nothing but silence for 15 seconds, and once the parents are sure that Kale's done, they remove their paws and/or hands. Everyone stares at the wolf in disapproval, even the teens who had listened—and they had played many violent videogames and watched many movies and TV shows with profanity that their parents allowed them to do as they aged.

 **Penny:** "Je—ee—pers...You shouldn't kiss your mother with a mouth as filthy as yours, young man."

In addition to the condescending tone of her voice, Penny waves her pointer finger patronizingly at Kale and points at him while saying "young man." Before Kale can retort with a "My mom's dead, butt-spikes!", more pain silences him and someone else speaks.

 **Ozzie:** "Well he _is_ in a lot of pain, so I guess we should cut him _some_ slack."

 **Kale thinking** (in anger) **:** _"_ 'A lot' _of pain...? That's the biggest und'a'stament of da century!_ "

Kale is in more pain than any of them can imagine, and wants to cuss out the porcupine and possum for not understanding the magnitude of hurt that he's in. It's like the seemingly sentient fox traps are having their revenge on him, as if they are punishing him for all the bad things he has ever said and done. Because that is _a lot_ of things, the pain may as well be infinite. In any case, the teenage wolf is ready for it all to end and is even willing to stoop low enough to get help from prey if it means the pain can go away.

 **Kale:** "Erragh! Okay, _okay_! I'll do it! I agree to the deal! I promise not ta eat 'r attack any of you's! Just do somethin' already! I can't take it _**anymore!**_ "

RJ makes eye contact with his parents, but speaks up to address everyone else who is still iffy about helping Kale.

 **RJ:** "Are there any objections?"

Spurred by the cries of pain, all the hedgies who disagreed before—Rogan, Sarah, Verne, Velma, Penny, Lou, Stella, Tiger, Luby, Rick, Bernard, Roger, and De'Ausha—look at Kale and see him for what he really is: a lonely, sad, weakened, starving wolf kid in agonizing pain who is desperately in need of assistance; in need of a break at the very least. This wolf, in his current state, poses little danger to them, which is good enough for them. And thanks to Rebecca's reminder, they all know now that not all wolves are pure evil. They nod which causes RJ to explain what to do.

 **RJ:** "Alright. Lou, Tiger, and Luby: open up the trap on his left leg. Penny, Stella, and Rick: open the one on his right." (Looks at Kale in the eyes) "Just to be safe" (Looks at Annette) "Annette: you get in front of his head and be ready to use your quills if he tries anything funny."

Annette nods, but Kale says indignantly "Don't you's trust me?"

 **Hedgies in unison:** "No!"

Kale frowns in an unintentional comedic way, but can't really blame the others. If he was a prey animal, he wouldn't trust a wolf either...not even himself.

 **RJ:** "Becca: lead Hammy, De'Ausha, Roger, Ty, Plushie, Mary, and Bernard back home and bring us all the red meat and poultry we have in the refrigerator."

 **Rebecca:** "We're on it."

She then goes to all fours, lets Plushie climb on her back, and the group runs in the direction of the log.

 **RJ:** "Everyone else: grab his forepaws and pull when the trap openers say to. I'm gonna get out my first aid kits."

It takes the family under 10 seconds to get in their positions, and all ears are listening for Lou, Tiger, Luby, Penny, Stella, or Rick. The latter take 30 seconds to get a feel of how strong the traps' grip are on the wolf's legs, which is pretty tight. The time it takes them to assess the trap is painful for Kale, but will hopefully prevent the grip of the trap-openers from slipping which would only cause the clamps to snap back down on Kale, which would cause him even more pain.

 **Lou:** "We'll only be able to hold it open for a few seconds, so pull him as hard as you can on our signal."

 **Christine:** "We got it, Mr. Lou."

 **Rick:** "Let's do it!"

The two porcupines, two raccoons, one skunk, and one cat grunt as they strain to open the traps. It takes all of their strength, but they get the traps open as wide as creaturely possible.

 **Tiger:** "Now!"

The other hedgies—including RJ who has had time to get out his first aid kits and put it off to the side—pull Kale as hard as they can, which is enough to get his legs clear of the traps that snap shut on air when the six can't hold them open any longer. Kale actually blacks out from the relief of his legs finally being free of the traps. After that, he has no idea what happens, and enters a deep sleep.

With everyone's mind on more immediate matters, neither predator nor prey realize that the deal will have far-reaching effects that no one can ever imagine when making it.

* * *

 **Ah, the story is becoming deeper. Characters are already changing, becoming more complex and interesting!** **And because I don't plan on this story being as long as my others (at least at this point in time), I am focusing on completing it before I update more of my existing OTH stories. (Unless I randomly decide to do the opposite for some reason, LOL).**

 **But what of the Bone-Chomper Pack? What have they been doing ever since giving Kale the cold shoulder? My hint is that, f** **or those of you who think that all wolves are the same as in my other OTH stories, you're in for a surprise. What surprise is that you ask? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!...whenever I post it, that is. ;)**


	3. Dreamt Persuasion and Tragic Past

**Hello again readers! At this chapter's initial posting on December 15, 2017, I am keeping with my tradition of updating an OTH story as an early Holiday's present for all of you. Oh wait, did I say present? I meant present** _ **s**_ **, because—surprise, surprise—I'm giving you** **two** **chapters at once! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3: Dreamt Persuasion and Tragic Past**

Fifteen years ago, a family of four wolves is gathered together in their den, with the father and his two sons in a semi-circle around the mother who is about to give birth for the third time.

 **Mother wolf:** "I tought I'd be used ta dis by now, but I'm not."

 **Father wolf:** "You'll get trew with dis, Sharnese, just like dee other times. You's stronger than me for being able ta take da pain of childbirth."

 **Sharnese:** "Oh, Eddie, you's too kind."

 **Eddie** (walks up and kisses his mate) **:** "What can I say, I'm in love with ya."

 **Youngest wolf pup** (excitedly) **:** "Don't keep us waitin' too long ma!" (To older brother) "We's finally gonna have a younger brotha or sista ta boss around!"

 **Oldest wolf pup:** "You's just excited 'cuz you'll have someone ta pick on, just like _I_ picked on _you_ , Marker."

As Eddie devotes his full attention to Sharnese as she starts groaning loud, Marker walks up to his older sibling and gets ready to whisper cautiously quiet. In that short timeframe, it's all coming back to the big brother wolf called Barker, who was named for obvious reasons. He will never forget how excited he was when his parents said that he was going to have a younger sibling(s), in fact, he was more excited than they were. However, this was all because the oldest pup was under the impression (that he conjured himself) that his younger brother(s) or sister(s) would be given to his literal-godparents, Bone-Chompers Leo and Emmy. When the big day came there wasn't a single word or phrase in the universe to describe his colossal disappointment when he discovered, to his horror, that the newborn brother would be living with him—which meant the new kid would get all the attention and love that the oldest was used to getting lavished with. Barker had begged his mom and dad to let him go live with his grandparents, Sniff-Trackers Tail-Chaser and Fancy, even though they were dying of cancer, or to send him to the Bone-Chompers. But try as he might, his little brother was here to stay, and soon earned the name Marker for constantly marking his family's territory.

Thus, the seeds of sibling rivalry were planted and whenever Barker wasn't following his parents' instructions, he was spending all of his time picking on his younger brother. Barker threatened to beat up Marker if he ever tattletaled on him, which kept the younger brother quiet. But when Eddie and Sharnese got wind from Bone-Chomper Emmy about Barker mistreating his little brother—their goddaughter, Gabby, having stumbled upon the Sniff-Tracker brothers one afternoon after a successful hunt—Barker thought the beating and cussing would never end. He had to be more careful from that day on, and started making Marker do things supposedly "for the good of the pack" when in reality Barker was making his brother do what was best for him.

Things were just starting to look up for the Sniff-Tracker boys too, because their sibling rivalry died down (though hadn't disappeared completely) and they had become partners in crime rather than a master-servant relationship. But soon it will happen all over again: the hugs, the kisses, the petting, the weaning, the attention for the new pup(s)...and the neglect, jealously, and resurgence of a sibling rivalry for the older siblings.

 **Marker** (whispering) **:** "But since he or she 'u'll be da youngest that means mom 'n dad'll spoil the runt, so our 'lil brotha or sista will desoive it, Barker... _Boss-man_."

The closing word Marker used, as well as the way he said it and the wink he gives, suddenly makes the older sibling see where his younger brother is going with this, and now Barker smiles along with him. Ever since his parents announced they were having another kid or kids, and up to before his brother's recent words, Barker had been so full of angst and so busy working with his family (particularly his brother), that he had forgotten that he won't be facing this new wave of lovey-dovey by himself. There are two older siblings which means it will be double the power, double the authority, double the threats, and double the gain. Barker's parents had taught him well on how to make a wolf pack an efficient organization, and he obviously did the same good job in teaching Marker on some lessons of his own too. After the next sibling's (or siblings') baptism of fire, the Sniff-Trackers will become a force to be reckoned with, maybe even become as prestigious as the Bone-Chompers. _That_ was something to look forward to.

 **Barker** (smirks) **:** "True dat, _Brohan_."

Marker's face brightens when he hears Barker call him by his partner-in-crime-nickname, puts emphasis on it while doing so, and return his wink. The brothers lightly butt heads and then look back at their mom as she finishes delivering her baby. She only has one pup, and it's a boy. Eddie, Barker, and Marker howl in victory, but quickly notice that they are one wolf short, which means that Sharnese hasn't joined them.

 **Eddie:** "Somethin' wrong, babe?"

 **Sharnese** (looks down and speaks in a disappointed tone) **:** "Well, I hopin' for a daughta dis time." (Looks back up and speaks in a more positive tone) "But another boy means our Sniff-Tracker line'll stay Sniff-Trackers."

 **Eddie:** "I knew's you couldn't stay basset-hound-sad, 'specially after givin' us a new blessing."

The two mates kiss and then look at Barker and Marker in the eyes.

 **Sharnese:** "You two boys betta treat dis brother of yours with a _balance_ of love and discipline, even though he is da runt."

 **Eddie:** "You's know what she's talkin' 'bout. No punishing him even if he screws up—dat's your mother and I's job—no threatenin', no scamming, no misleadin' obligations, no hazing—no nothin' that'll be counterproductive to our pack, capeesh?"

 **Barker and Marker in unison:** "Capeesh."

 **Eddie:** "Da Sniff-Trackers are to be a family-only pack: no outside wolves allowed 'cuz they'll risk takin' over or doing things for their own agendas. Wit your grandparents dead, that leaves only us five to pass on our legacy."

 **Sharnese** (looks at her mate) **:** "If somethin' ever happens to us before our time," (Looks at Barker and Marker) "it'll be you's two's responsibility" (looking down at where her newborn son is nursing) "ta raise and care for your new 'lil brotha. You teach him ta be tough, yet loyal. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments."

 **Eddie:** "We's not like other packs; we don't disown, divorce, or turn our backs on our own, not matter what they do. Family comes before da pack."

Barker and Marker, remembering their family motto, nod and repeat, "Family comes before da pack."

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

 **Kale:** AHHHHHH! Graaaaggggghhh! Cheeeeee-yaaaaa! Oh, thank goodness that you've all come. Get me outta deese traps!"

 **Leo:** "What happened to ya?"

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

 **Gabby:** "I'll tell ya, what, papa. I was about ta ice da prey when this loser shoved me out of the way while claimin' " (imitating Kale's voice) " 'Dis day is mi—ine.' " (Normal voice tone) "I rolled down a hill and sprained my left hind ankle hard against a rock at da bottom." (Glaring at Kale) "Tanks ta dis loser, I won't be able ta hunt 'til I feel betta!"

Bugsy and Luciano can't believe that Kale hurt one of his own pack members just to get the glory, and look at him with expressions showing simultaneous shock and hate. They wanted to lash out at Kale right then and there, but had to give their pack godfather the floor. It was a code of wolf society ever since the first wolf pack was formed millennia's ago: never say or do anything until the pack godfather lets you.

They carefully listened to Leo as he speaks, noting what he said so that they can formulate what they will say to Kale so as to not be repetitive and to say what's on their own minds. Sometimes Bugsy and Luciano took a breath to say something, or moved their leg muscles in preparation to step forward, only to instantly stay put or keep their mouth shut when it was obvious that Leo's pauses were him taking a breath to keep speaking, rather than him stopping his chastising of Kale. When Bone-Chomper Leo _was_ finished and gave Luciano and Bugsy the floor, they already had what they want to tell him well-rehearsed in their minds. Leo looks at Kale's brothers and nods, which causes them to step forward.

 **Luciano:** "You've disgraced not only the Bone-Chompers, but our own family name too. If ma and dad had a grave, they'd be rollin' over in it now."

 **Bugsy:** "But they don't, 'cuz the puma ate 'em bone and all. And now I wish dat you'd have been lunched too."

They are angry at Kale for not only not following their most important lessons they had taught him before their parents died, but also at themselves because they didn't hammer in those lessons hard enough. Eddie and Sharnese would be ashamed of the older brothers' failure as much as Kale's. They thought they could instruct him as well as their godfather idol, but they were wrong.

 **Leo:** "The only reason I's haven't ended ya already is because of da vow I made to your mom and dad. You're family, but not a Bone-Chomper, which is why we'll leave ya to stew in you's own muck."

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

Luciano and Bugsy can't stand to look at Kale any longer, because doing so only insinuates the already-powerful feelings of anger and disappointment that the older siblings harbor toward Kale, and themselves. Hence, to escape that quagmire as fast as they can, Luciano and Bugsy turned and started walking away first, the pack following in their wake. The older siblings already know that Kale will have to bite off his legs to escape the traps even before the other wolves mentioned that chilling information to their youngest member, so Bugsy and Luciano ignored Kale's cries for help and the other pack members' rebuttals, the latter of which also risk Bugsy and Luciano suffering more emotionally. But even they can't tone out Kale's loud, pathetic whines and cries shortly after the pack left the teen's sight.

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown, divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

It was then that the thought that Leo's decision might be a bit too harsh, finally crossed their minds. Nevertheless, they wholeheartedly agree with him. He is their pack godfather after all, so the former Sniff-Trackers must obey him. Leo follows the codes of wolf society to the last word, and the one he is implementing with his choice to leave Kale is "abandon those whose actions ruin a pack's reputation, causes prey animals to stop fearing them, and goads rival predators to not take the pack seriously."

But then again, none of that has happened yet...so maybe Leo jumped the gun in retrospect. Even so, no one became a Bone-Chomper without being tough and brutal. Because the Bone-Chompers are the best wolf pack in America, they are compelled to set the standard by which all wolves must follow. They must be the embodiment of all that their species stands for: strength, intelligence, unity, savagery, keen eyesight, untamed and free, expert trackers, and the spirits of the night who howl at the moon. When you're part of the number one pack, errors are all the more noticeable, and more exploitable as a result, for it is a long fall from the top. If the Bone-Chompers fail at setting the standard for all wolves, then another pack will take that authority, one that cannot properly uphold the obligations of wolves. The Bone-Chompers have the pack members whose abilities have entrusted them with upholding the virtues of wolf society for so long, that Leo cannot allow any others to take that prestige away from his pack. He can't trust another pack to be as devoted to upholding the codes of wolf society, only the Bone-Chompers can do that.

That is why he had to leave Kale, not just for the sake of his pack's reputation, but for the wolf species.

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown, divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

Kale's last words ring loudly.

 **Kale** (yelling) **:** "Come back!" (Softly and full of melancholy) "Come back..." (Barely a whisper) "Don't leave me..."

 _Family comes before da pack...We don't disown, divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..._

* * *

Luciano gasps as he wakes up with a jolt, and Bugsy does the same halfway through Luciano's gasp. Drawn to the sound of the other, after gasping they look at each other from where they are in the Bone-Chomper's dwelling which a grove deep within the forest. Luciano has been snoozing on the very end of the group of sleeping wolves on the far right, and Bugsy has been on the far left. With the morning sun shining in from above, both can see the slight glimmer of sweat in their sibling's fur. Knowing they have to talk, they circle their way around the other sleeping wolves and head outside. While doing that, they silently acknowledge that it's as though fate itself has willed the two to sleep at positions that won't risk waking the other wolves, because that's the last thing they want to do. After one more glance to make sure the other wolves are still sound asleep, the brothers go around to the opposite side of the alcove.

 **Luciano:** "Brohan, I's just had a dream about Track's birth—"

 **Bugsy:** "—That then jumped inta what happened with his hunt just last night. Yeah, me too, Boss-man."

 **Luciano:** "Wait, how much of his birth and failed hunt did'ja remember?"

They take turns in explaining the details of the dream they each had, and discover by the end that they—two individual wolves—had the exact same dream with the exact same order of events, quotes, and even thoughts. They're actually out of breath by the time they're finished, and begin what would normally be the much harder task of trying to come up with a logical explanation of why this happened to them, and what it all means. Because dream psychology isn't one of the human world concepts relevant to wolves (or any animals for that matter) the two brothers can easily draw only one simple conclusion as to why they dreamed about the same things.

 **Bugsy** (looking into Luciano's eyes in a way that gazes at his brother's so-called soul, and speaking in a trailed-off tone from shock) **:** "It's a sign..."

 **Luciano** (ditto at Bugsy) **:** "From ma and dad..."

The brothers suddenly realize that they had been too hard on Track, and how years with the harsh-natured Bone-Chompers has distorted the morals that their parents wanted each to hold onto until the day they die. Guilt washes over them with the force of a tsunami...How could they forget that family takes precedence over their pack? That neither wolf should disown, nor reject, nor turn their backs on their own, no matter what they do? And that Sniff-Trackers should remain together, without any excuses? Luciano and Bugsy had been wrong; it was their cold-blooded actions and words that would make their dead parents roll over in their nonexisting graves, not Kale's mistakes on his hunt.

Ironically, their sorrow quickly turns into resolve after remembering a lesson from Bone-Chomper Leo. Their sadness becomes anger, directed towards themselves, which lights a fire in their bellies to right a wrong, thus proving that not everything they have learned from the Bone-Chompers has changed them for the worse. They long for their brother...ache for him. Something that drives this feeling of closeness that they should have maintained with Track is the recalled image of Bonnie and Clyde snoozing when brothers took a glance at the alcove before moving to their private chat place. The fiancés each had a foreleg wrapped around their lover as they slumber, a true couple even when they are asleep. It's strange why those two haven't decided to become mates yet, given how close they are, but then Luciano recalls that they wanted to save that occasion for when the Bone-Chomper Pack made a great gain in influence and territory, which would put the two in a mood to celebrate their wedding with a bang. So Kale's failed hunt unintentionally postponed the wedding, which explains why those two were so bitter when putting Kale down in the dumps.

 **Luciano thinking:** " _But then again, we's_ all _were bitter toward him...Don't cut ya'self any slack._ "

Moving on to more important thoughts, Luciano quickly devises a plan.

 **Luciano:** "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

 **Bugsy** (nods slowly) **:** "Yeah." (Goes from a serious look to a smirk of mischievous joy) "We's gonna do somthin' incredibly _stupid_...The kind'a thing dat our pack would never approve."

 **Luciano** (slowly starts to smile) **:** "They's gonna be angry wit us, and probably beat us to a pulp..." (Rhetorical) "But how's dat any worse than what Track's been through?"

 **Bugsy:** "Let's go find our 'lil brother and bring 'im back, hopefully before the others wake up."

Luciano's vanishing smile causes Bugsy's to go away too. They both understand that it doesn't matter if the other Bone-Chompers are awake or not when they return with Kale, the two of them are going to be seriously punished for going against Godfather Leo's orders, which reflected the opinions of the others clear as day. But Luciano and Bugsy don't care about that, or about the punishment that will inevitably follow. Aside from the return of their Sniff-Tracker morals, another factor that makes them want to bring Kale home is because, since they were the ones who helped Kale improve his abilities of speed, strength, wits, and ferocity, the brothers feel responsible to protect the one who they devoted so much of their lives to.

Bugsy and Luciano turn their bodies in the direction that will lead them back to the woods bordering the Elysian Fields Estates, whereby they will sniff out Kale's scent to find the spot where they had left him. The two hesitate for a moment, wondering if their search will be in vain. Their Bone-Chomper minds scream at them that their little brother is dead by the claws or teeth of another predator, and that they are wasting their time. But for the first time in ages, Luciano and Bugsy listen to their Sniff-Tracker minds. When that happens—when they take a step in the direction toward the area where Kale is, without stopping or looking back—they become Sniff-Trackers once more. They put their family before the pack. They refuse to disown, divorce, or turn their backs on one of their own, even after all of the things he's done. The Sniff-Trackers must stay together, no arguments.

* * *

Eight Hours before Luciano and Bugsy wake up

As soon as Kale passed out after being freed from the fox traps, RJ and the adults started working on the wolf with the raccoon's two first aid kits, the contents of which are brought out by the teens. Since the fiasco at Verm-Tech three years ago, RJ has obtained a secondary first aid kit that carries the necessary tools to create casts for broken bones. Having the others watch doctor shows on Netflix and Hulu has also improved their knowledge on how to fix broken bones, so they didn't have to rely on any mammologists like they did with RJ after their second trip to Verm-Tech.

After feeling their paws around the areas on Kale's legs where the traps had shut, the adults determined that the breaks in the hind legs were not as large as they feared. That means the family didn't need to use as much plaster (of paris) to create the cast, and that the wolf's healing time won't take as long; RJ estimated six weeks at the most. The upside about the wolf going out cold was that it made manipulating his legs during the cast creation an easy and painless process. Of course, the hedgies encountered the downside with the wolf's unconscious state only briefly before coming up with a solution. The problem was that the group couldn't carry Kale's weight without the porcupines' help, because those rodents couldn't risk their quills harming Kale when they would have to lay him on top of their backs.

A memory from the first Spring when RJ came to them gave them the answer. After some family members used their claws and teeth to trim the bark of tree trunk bases in circles, the porcupines jumped backwards to attach their quills to the bark, and then they came forward so that there was flat wood stuck to their entire dorsal sides. This enabled them join the others in using all four legs to carry Kale with minimal effort on their part.

 **Note** **: The scene that this is referencing is the part in the movie where Lou said "Ok, kids, dive in. There it is. Bark for breakfast."**

It was still a tough journey even with all of them carrying Kale. The bat family held onto his face fur and ears with their feet while flapping their wings to keep his head from hitting the ground, while the rest carried his body. He was lightweight by wolf standards, but that's 66 pounds, so the smaller and less strong animals' backs were straining when they met up with Rebecca, Hammy and the small kids halfway back to the log as the latter are carrying the meat packages.

 **Rebecca:** "Need us to drop the food and help you all out?"

 **Verne:** "*Pant*, P- *pant* please."

With the coldness of the refrigerator still fresh on the raw meat packages, there was no fear of any of it completely spoiling by the time they will have to come back to retrieve it. All they had to fear is any other nocturnal animals coming in to steal it as the younger ones help their parents carry Kale back. And even if that happens, they can easily go on raids to restock the fridge.

The animals were completely exhausted when they finally arrived back at the log, but still managed to gently place Kale down inside it. The end where his head was facing already had stacks of food packages and cans that will keep him confined and out of sight from other predators that could come waltzing by. The hedgies then piled up more food at the other end of the log for those very reasons, and then went back to collect the meat that they left behind. Once all of that was back inside the refrigerator, they decided to follow Annette's suggestion of sleeping in the trees for their protection. The climbers helped the non-climbers up, and everyone except the nocturnal bats went to sleep. Simon and his family offered to keep their ears open and bring food to Kale if he woke up while the others were asleep, and to wake up the others if trouble came their way.

If only they could see Kale's dreams, the forest animal family would have discovered that his troubles go deeper than he is letting them know and theorize about him.

* * *

The stinging nose pain, the cold stab from every inhale followed by the roasting heat from every exhale, the runny and yellow mucus that increases in amount despite continuous blowing, the rough boogers that cling to his nasal vestibule that makes removing them feel like ripping a layer of skin off, the inflamed sinus lining...All of it is more than uncomfortable, it is unbearable.

The four-year-old wolf pup—who will go by Runt/Pup/Whelp until he earns himself a name through actions that only his unique talents can do—can't sleep at night whenever he breathes through the mouth, but it's also a struggle to breathe through his sick nose. What's worse is that the wolf pup can't taste with his sense of smell gone, so he is missing out on some delicious food as he eats his dinner. Not to mention that he has to eat five feet away from the rest of his family in order to prevent getting them sick too.

Having reached his limit, unable to take it any longer, the pup looks over to his parents and two older brothers and speaks as direly as his stopped-up voice allows.

 **Wolf pup:** "Ma-aa, da-ad, make it stop!"

 **Sniff-Tracker Eddie:** "We's been over dis a million times, Runt, dare's nothin' we can do."

 **Sniff-Tracker Sharnese:** "Dee only option is ta let it pass on its own."

 **Wolf pup:** "But it hu-urts!"

He breaks into a coughing fit and spits out a discolored lugee...unintentionally toward his nine-year-old big brother, and 12-year-old bigger brother who respond respectively

 **Sniff-Tracker Marker:** "Hey, watch it Runt! Don't you's spit in dis direction!"

 **Sniff-Tracker Barker:** "You tryin' ta get us sick too, quarantine-boy?! If you weren't und'a the weather, I'd beat you now!—OUCH!"

Sharnese brings her right forepaw down on the top of Barker's head, careful not to use her claws because those are reserved for more severe discipline.

 **Sharnese:** "Enough! He didn't ask ta get sick, it just happened."

 **Barker:** "Marker and I's got sick like dat too, and we never whined like Runt."

 **Marker:** "Yee-eah! He just wants more attention, like da spoiled brat he is!"

 **Eddie:** "One: if you's got a disagreement wit how your mom and I run dis family, leave and become a rogue wolf. And B: neither you's nor ya brotha had allergies this bad. Whelp's are worse than any other wolf I know."

Trusting their old man, the two older siblings now realize that something is truly wrong with their little brother, making them genuinely worried...Barker more than Marker because the latter is insanely jealous of all the attention his younger brother is getting from his parents—something that Barker is more used to ever since Marker was born. And being a selfish kid and all (which is natural for anyone of his age), Marker doesn't mind if his little brother bites the dust.

 **Barker:** "So wha'da'ya think it is, dad?"

 **Marker** (hopeful of the worse-case scenario and while eyeing Whelp snidely) **:** "Will it really pass, or will 'e stay like dis?"

Whelp gasps at that scary thought, which makes him enter another round of hacking coughs. He spits on the ground between his legs when he's done this time, but the mere tilting of his head unsettles the excessive mucus in the young wolf's sinus cavities, causing the yellow snot to pour from his nose like a water stream. Marker smirks for a split second, which isn't fast enough to escape his mother's watchful eye. Her paw comes crashing down on his head a moment later.

 **Sharnese** (points at Whelp and speaks accusingly and rhetorical) **:** "See what ya done did? Are _you_ tryin' to make _him_ sicker than he already is?!"

 **Marker:** "No ma!"

Sharnese moves so that she is facing her son and extends her claws, which forces Marker to confess before Eddie (having not seen the smirk) can make his mate stop.

 **Marker:** "Ok, ok! I did it on purpose! But I's doing it for our pack. Won't he hold us back if he doesn't get better? His nose-blowin' and coughs'll ruin our cover while hunting, and we won't get as many kills on hunts if you or dad stays behind ta take care of 'im."

Very disappointed with his second-oldest son, Eddie decides to intervene on Runt's behalf.

 **Eddie:** "What is da most important lesson we's taught you?"

 **Marker** (sighs) **:** "Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..."

 **Eddie** (nods) **:** "So say you're sorry."

 **Marker:** "Yes sir." (To his youngest brother) "I'm sorry for tryin' to make ya worse, Runt. I forgot dat family comes before da pack. You'll always be my 'lil bro, no matter what happens."

Runt takes a deep inhale to suck the dripping snot back into his nose before replying, which causes Marker to grimace in disgust, but the smile in Runt's eyes is contagious.

 **Runt:** "I forgive ya, Marker. You'll always be my big bro."

Marker would have kept his smile if it isn't for what his mother says next.

 **Sharnese:** "Now go hug 'im."

 **Marker:** "What if he gets me sick?"

 **Sharnese:** "Then you'll be a little more understanding of what he's goin' through. And you can't leave 'im hanging after those heartfelt words he and you said."

Marker looks at Runt who is not only giving that adorable smile, but also wagging his tail in excitement. That alone makes it irresistible. Unlike a lot of wolf pups, Runt is cute instead of fierce, which may lessen the kid's effectiveness in the future, but makes him so likable right now. Marker takes a deep breath, walks toward Runt, and the two hug each other like true brothers.

* * *

Four months later, Runt has recovered from his sinus sickness, and is on his first hunt with his family. It's been a hard one with powerful winds blowing every which way, making the already elusive stoat prey all the more difficult to track and eat. The member of the weasel family is also very fast, putting a lot of distance between him and the wolves, but then he does the sure-fire way of throwing the wolves off his trail.

 **Sharnese:** "Hey, did any of you's just lose his smell?"

The five wolves stop to take a big sniff and then speak

 **Eddie:** "Yeah. One moment I was tracking his scent, and then it vanished alluva sudden!"

 **Barker:** "What do we do now, ma and dad?"

 **Runt:** "Wait—!"

 **Eddie:** "We's gonna have ta give up dis hunt, boys."

 **Marker** (whining) **:** "No-oh! We was havin' so much fun!"

 **Runt:** "Dad—!"

 **Sharnese:** "Maybe if we's keep runnin' in our best guest of where he is, we'll catch up to him."

 **Runt:** "I can—!"

 **Eddie:** "He could'a gone up a hill, in a hole; sideways, diagonally, or any directions he can think of. It'd be a wild goose chase is we kept goin'."

 **Runt:** "Guys—!"

 **Sharnese:** "I see...Looks like da hunt's over, boys..."

Frustrated with his family ignoring him and thinking that someone will butt-in again, Runt yells as loud as he can to get their attention.

 **Runt:** "HEY! SHUT UP AND LISTEN TA ME ALREADY!"

The four wolves turn in unison to the youngest one, each glaring at him for his outburst.

 **Eddie:** "You. Do _not_ tell! Ya's own mom and dad! Ta 'SHUT UP'! Ya rude whelp!"

Eddie gets closer to Runt after every sentence, and now has his paw raised in the air to smack the kid with discipline. Oddly, the boy doesn't back down or cringe in preparation, he holds his ground and speaks fast instead.

 **Runt:** "I can still smell da stoat!"

Eddie's paw hangs in midair, and the confused gaze he is giving is reflected on the other three members who give Runt their undivided attention.

 **Sharnese:** "You can?"

 **Runt** (nods yes) **:** "I swear. He's, *ssssniifffff*, movin' to da northeast. Past da twisted tree on the far side'a'da greenfield."

 **Barker:** "No freakin' way! That's two-and-a-half miles away from here's. No wolf can smell dat far, 'specially you!"

 **Marker:** "Yeah! You just lyin' to avoid gettin' the beating you desoive!"

 **Barker:** "The greenfield is used by human deer hunters, so why would da stoat go near a place where he can get shot?"

 **Runt:** "I dunno. I'm just tellin' ya's where he is so we don't have ta go home empty-pawed." (Stomach growls) "And hungry."

Barker and Marker aren't changing their opinions and look back to their parents to encourage them to give Runt a beating where it counts. However, Eddie and Sharnese have quite a different idea in mind.

 **Sharnese:** "I know why the stoat's goin' there: ta protect himself from us."

 **Barker and Marker in unison** (monotone shock) **:** "What?"

 **Eddie:** "The joke's gonna be on him, though, 'cuz deer season ain't for anoth'a month. So dare aren't no humans who can shoot us. Let's hoof it boys!"

 **Barker** (while running to catch up with Runt and his parents) **:** "You's actually _believe_ dis fibber, dad?"

 **Eddie:** "Won't hurt ta check, Barker. Ain't nothin' gettin' away from us Sniff-Trackers."

 **Marker:** "And if Runt's wrong?"

 **Sharnese:** " _Then_ we punish him." (To Runt) "Lead da way, Runt. You betta be right."

 **Runt:** "Don't worry ma, I am."

As the pup leads the way, Eddie and Sharnese find themselves feeling like kids again, excited about the unknown which in this case is their youngest son's sniffer. Like most wolf packs, the Sniff-Trackers want to have a good track record of successful hunts. Unlike most wolves, however, the Sniff-Trackers' record is hit-and-miss, meaning their pack has a low reputation in wolf society. That is why Eddie and Sharnese are willing to follow their youngest son's hunch, even if it's a pipedream. As for Barker and Marker, although they want their pack to have more successes, they also don't want Runt to be right. If he somehow is, they will probably die from jealousy at their young brother's sense of smell that surpasses their own and their parents'. But they highly doubt Runt, because his nose had been blowing snot-rockets for months and had just gotten better a day ago. They keep their pace up with their parents, eager to see how wrong Runt will be.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, and Barker and Marker are eating the stoat...along with their own words from before. Against all odds, against everything that was supposed to happen, Runt had been right. He did smell the stoat from over two miles away, _and_ after it tried losing its scent in the river too! It turns out that the abnormally long sinus infection had been caused by Runt's ultra-sensitive sense of smell. Moreover, the nose allergies are the side-effects that have developed Runt's nose into a "super-sniffer," able to smell the scent of animals far beyond the ability of the average wolf. His nose also had been able to pinpoint the stoat's location despite the gale-force winds that blew. Any normal wolf would have lost the trail, or have gone in the wrong direction as the winds whipped the mustelid's scent to and fro through the air in all directions, sometimes simultaneously.

After ending the stoat's life, the older siblings had rolled their eyes as their parents admonished Runt with praises and compliments, but overcame their jealousy when they realized how their little brother's ability can catapult the Sniff-Tracker name from obscurity to fame. No longer would their hunts be hit-and-miss, no longer would prey escape their grasp, and no longer would other wolf packs ridicule them. Most of all, no longer would Runt be called Runt, an issue that Eddie chooses to address in the present now that the family is finished with their meal.

Eddie goes "Ahhhhh" as if he downed a satisfying drink, burps, then says "There we go."

With the end-of-the-meal-habit out of the way, Eddie, as the pack godfather, gets down to business.

 **Eddie:** "Ahem!"

The others look at him intently and don't let a single word go unheard. He looks at Runt first.

 **Eddie:** "As I said before, outstandin' job son. Without ya's nose, this'd been a failed hunt. You've proven ya worth as a true tracker. Not even your mother and I could'a found dat weasel of a weasel on our own from as far away as you did, or through dat wind storm. You've done our pack well, and earned ya'self a name. Henceforth, you shall be called Sniff-Tracker Gale, 'cuz you located the prey through gale-force wind."

 **Sharnese:** "But Eddie, 'Gale' is a girl's name."

Barker and Marker giggle, but Eddie lets it slide because, yes, Gale is a more girly-sounding name.

 **Eddie:** "But it fits him so well. What else can I call 'im?"

 **Runt:** "I like da sound of 'Gale,' so make it rhyme wit dat."

Because Eddie is the pack godfather, he has to make the decision, and will only ask his mate for help if he can't come up with something of his own. After a bit of thinking, Eddie comes up with the perfect name.

 **Eddie:** "I got it! You'll be known as Sniff-Tracker Kale."

 **Kale:** "Yeah...yeah! I like it! Thanks dad!"

 **Eddie:** "Like I said, you earned it son."

 **Barker, Marker, and Sharnese chanting/cheering in unison:** "Sniff-Tracker Kale! Sniff-Tracker Kale! Sniff-Tracker KAAAAALE!

Those three and Eddie then sit in a horizontal line, with Kale in front of them, and howl in celebration of the christening of their young one's new name.

* * *

Unfortunately for Kale, the next three years were tough ones. Like all wolves he had to develop his other species-inherited abilities besides smell: speed, strength, wits, and ferocity to name the most important. But whenever he went on hunts, he could barely keep up with his family, having to use his sense of smell and hearing to inform them of where they should go. He couldn't inflict as much damage on prey as other wolves that were his age either, despite putting all of his strength into every bite and claw slash. Any strategy suggestions he made were ignored, which turned out to be for the best because the ones that his parents and older brothers stubbornly told him were better ended up in successes. And his cute-looking face never went away, making him look more like a pet husky than a ferocious wolf. It didn't take long for Barker and Marker to come up with Kale's nickname of "Track," which would normally be a fitting name given his extraordinary talents at that skill, but the older siblings called him that because that was the only thing he was good at. That gave the name a sting of disgrace.

No matter what his parents did to help their son, Kale just couldn't improve. They didn't know if it was a genetic disorder, something they did wrong in raising him, or if the ghosts of the prey animals he helped the Sniff-Trackers kill had cursed the wolf family.

Since nothing Eddie and Sharnese tried ever worked, they have placed their trust in Barker and Marker who will try to make Kale toughen up today. The two older ones were more than happy to agree because they finally had their chance to go hard on Kale, something their parents never did. Now that they are more mature, Barker and Marker will do it not out of jealousy or an attempt to get revenge on Kale for all the spoiled treatment he's been getting, but for the betterment of their pack, and make Kale a strong individual. And they know just how to do it.

The three brothers are walking side-by-side, with Kale in between Barker on his left and Marker on his right.

 **Kale:** "I hope you's two can help me become a betta wolf."

 **Barker:** "We _will_ , Track. And da first lesson is ta never rely on hope."

 **Kale:** "But ma and dad always said—"

 **Barker:** "Ma 'n dad're both wrong. Hope is for the weak, not the strong."

 **Marker:** "Strong ones don't need hope, dey make stuff happen trew skill and determination."

 **Kale:** "Well...I guess that _does_ make sense."

 **Marker:** "I think you're gonna like joinin' us big boys on schoolin' ya properly."

Before Kale can tell his brothers that they might be being a little too harsh on their parents' methods, the three arrive at their destination.

 **Barker:** "There it is. The key ta makin' you a faster wolf."

Kale sees a river 15 yards away, which causes his face to make the greatest expression of shock and confusion he has ever made in his whole life at this point in time.

 **Kale:** "A river...? You gotta be kiddin' me."

 **Marker:** "This ain't no time ta have second thoughts, Track. Ma and dad already taught ya ta doggy paddle, so all's you gotta do is swim against the current ta build up your muscles. Don't worry, it's not flowin' fast today, so it'll be perfect for a beginner level.

 **Kale:** "Why not just have me run a few miles like ma and dad have been doin'?"

 **Barker:** "Because unlike their way of havin' you run on dry land, swimmin' will exercise alluv'ya muscles at once. Now stop flappin' you's lips and start flappin' you's legs."

Willing to do anything to improve himself, Kale heads into the water and starts swimming against the current. About two minutes after beginning, he asks a question to his brothers who are watching from the shoreline.

 **Kale:** "How long do I gotta do this for?"

 **Marker:** "Gettin' tired already, Track? I didn't think you was _that_ weak."

 **Kale:** "No, it's not like dat. I just wanna know when you's two want me ta stop. I'll push myself however much you's think I can take."

Barker and Marker look at each other with raised eyebrows.

 **Barker:** "Well, I'll be a frog's warty rear..."

 **Marker:** "He really _is_ dedicated ta dis..."

The two look back at Kale in perfect synchronization, ready to push him to the limit.

 **Barker:** "Then keep doin' what you're doin' until we say ya's done."

 **Kale:** "Got it!"

He refocuses on paddling, his face full of determination, wanting to end his brothers' use of the mock-name "Track" by the end of their instructions on how to fully toughen him up.

* * *

Kale stopped at 10 minutes that day. From then on, he increased his time by two minutes a day. Every day for the next two months, Barker and Marker would coach Kale as he swam against the river current. By the time all the soreness passed away from two long months of grueling doggie paddling, he could keep up with his family on hunts with ease. Although this didn't stop anyone from calling him "Track," it opened a whole new avenue for him to use his sense of smell with a faster physique. As for Barker and Marker, they enjoyed the praise their parents gave them for a job well done, something neither had gotten on such as scale since they were little pups.

Everything was going great for the Sniff-Trackers, but there was more work to be done.

In the two months that Kale was working his leg muscles in the river, on dry land Barker and Marker had a unique plan of making their little brother stronger. Unlike building leg strength, the type of "strong" that Kale needed improvement with was his _attack_ strength. That meant he needed a stronger bite and claw slash.

The three brothers are walking back home from Kale's river exercises when Marker spots the "tool" that is going to aid Kale.

 **Marker:** "Ah! Dare it is!"

 **Kale:** "Dare what is?"

 **Marker** (turns to look at Kale) **:** "The key ta makin' ya build your jaw muscles."

As Marker walks to the right of the path they are currently on, Kale looks closely in the direction that his brother is going and becomes puzzled.

 **Kale:** "I don't see a bone for me ta chew on."

Barker knows what he's getting at. Eddie and Sharnese had tried to make Kale develop a stronger bite by chewing on bones, which hasn't worked.

 **Barker:** "You don't need no bone, Track."

He's about to say more when Kale gets in front of Barker to look him in the face, causing the latter to raise an eyebrow and wonder what his littlest brother could be planning.

 **Kale** (serious yet even tone, lacking any attitude) **:** "Could ya please stop callin' me dat? My name's Kale."

 **Barker** (eyes narrow) **:** "One: nev'a say 'please.' Begging ain't something a wolf should ever do. You gotta be strong-willed." (Leaning closer toward Kale and increasing the volume and hostility with every passing word) "And two: until you's get betta at runnin', killin', usin' ya head, and intimidatin', I, as your superior, can call ya whatever da heck _I_ _**want!**_ "

The sharp tone and angry look Barker is giving him forces Kale to back up and slump in submissiveness.

 **Kale:** "You's not treatin' me like a hermano."

 **Barker:** "I'm a wolf first, and a bro to you second. That's somethin' you gotta learn."

 **Kale:** "But ma and dad said family comes before da pack."

Barker is stumped for a few moments, his reminder of his Sniff-Tracker family's motto at odds with his dream of becoming a strong and deadly wolf like his literal godfather Bone-Chomper Leo. Thankfully, pondering the latter is what provides him with the answer.

 **Barker** (facial expression goes from angry to serious) **:** "True, but we, as wolves, also gotta always be fierce and always be angry, so that prey animals know that their place is below us. They need ta fear us, and if dey see us acting like a lovin' family, then they won't be afraid of us."

Just when Kale's spirits start to wane, the next thing Barker says and does visibly lightens Kale's mood.

 **Barker** (face now goes from serious to brotherly) **:** "But yeah...I did forget that we're not at dat point in ya trainin' yet, and dat you's still a pup. So no hard feelin's?"

 **Kale** (smiles) **:** " 'Course not, hermano. So you's gonna stop callin' me 'Track?' "

 **Barker** (smiles and speaks in a pleasant tone) **:** "Don't push ya luck...hermano."

Kale rolls his eyes and sighs through the nostrils, knowing that he'll still be called his mock-nickname. Then, Marker suddenly appears perpendicular to the two and drops something on the ground, the light _Thumpfff_ making Barker and Kale turn their head to look in the noise's direction. Laying on the ground is a one-and-a-half-foot long and four inch thick piece of a small tree trunk that had been chainsawed-off by humans no more than a month ago.

 **Barker:** "Took ya long enough."

 **Marker** (to Barker) **:** "Had ta find one small enough for Track's tiny mouth." (To Kale) "Alright 'lil bro, start chewing. Bite as hard as ya can, hold the bite for two seconds, relax da teeth, then repeat da process until we say when ta stop."

Kale looks at the cylinder-shape piece of wood, then looks at Marker as if his brother has gone stupid.

 **Kale:** "A piece of wood? Not only will I get splinters, but what's wrong with findin' me a bone to do that exercise with, like ma and dad do?"

 **Marker:** "Bones get smaller and weaker da more you chew on 'em, but a tree piece'll always stay strong. And the tree is made'a dogwood, so the bark won't give ya any splinta's. And if you's still afraid of splinta's like a 'lil endeble, ya won't get any if ya hold it like dis."

 **Note** **: Endeble means "wimp" in Spanish.**

Marker picks up the piece of wood with his teeth, opening his lips as wide as he can while doing so, and shows how Kale can keep it in his mouth with minimal contact with his fleshy mouth areas. Marker says "Hee?", his best attempt at a rhetorical "See?" with a piece of wood in his mouth, and Kale understands Marker's point, but still looks reluctant to begin, which Barker intends to change.

 **Barker:** "You wanna stop bein' called 'Track'? Then pick up dat wood and start chewin'."

The expectation that the nickname will stop being used once he's improved his abilities is what lights a fire in Kale's belly to begin, and to not stop, no matter how cramped his jaws get.

* * *

He spent 10 minutes flexing his jaw bone and muscles, after which he could barely move his mouth to speak. Barker took the piece of wood with them back home for safe keeping and made sure to bring it along whenever the three brothers went out to train Kale.

The next day, after finishing his leg exercises in the river, Kale expects to work on chewing the piece of wood again.

 **Barker:** "Ready ta build your strength some more, Track?"

 **Kale:** "Yeah...But cud rhe do da...jaw-flex ery o'er day...in'ted 'a...ery day?"

It's obvious from his distorted voice, slow-moving words, and the tone in which he speaks that he doesn't want to do a jaw workout today because his mouth is still very sore, not that his brothers won't go easy on him, however. Knowing them, they'd push him until his jaw bones break, which is why there is no confidence in his voice either. Fortunately, they have something else in mind.

 **Barker:** "As you should know, wolves don't just use dare mouth ta ice prey, Track. They use dare claws, which is what you's gonna work on today. Den you'll do more jaw-flexin' tomorrow, and go back ta doin' claw workouts the day after dat."

Kale sighs in relief and says, "Hallay-oo-ah...Tso where's ome, flint ocks ta... 'arpen my caws?"

 **Marker:** "When're ya gonna learn, Track? Ma 'n dad's ways ain't workin'. That's why Barker and I are doin' things different from dem."

Barker walks ahead and turns around to face Kale once the oldest brother is next to a thick tree on his right and thick bush on his left.

 **Barker:** "You's gonna practice slashing tree trunks and bushes like so."

Barker hoists himself onto his hind legs, uses the tree trunk to keep him from falling, and proceeds to make not too quick but not too heavy blows against it, making superficial yet noticeable claw prints in the bark. He then gets back on the ground, approaches the bush, and hits it with heavy blows that tears away the small but thoroughly entwined wooden shoots to which the green leaves are attached.

 **Barker:** "Make sure go deep when hittin' da bush; don't hit da leaves away, hit da shoots."

Kale notices Barker as he pants three times after finishing with the bush. This makes Kale wonder that, if his _oldest_ brother had to exert a lot of strength to hit the bush...

 **Kale:** " 'At ooks 'ard."

 **Barker:** "It ain't easy, dat's for sure."

 **Kale:** "Why an't we juss make my caws 'arper like ma 'n dad've been ooin'?"

Barker and Marker don't like Kale trying to argue against their ways of toughening him up, and had in fact been hoping that his sore jaw would prevent that. Alas, it seems like they have to explain _everything_ to their little brother in order to get things through his thick skull. Years later, they would commend Kale's questions upon learning that smart guys ask lots of questions. But at this moment, it's just annoying.

 **Barker:** "Because it's not da claws that makes a wolf cut hard, it's da strength behind ya forelegs 'n forepaws."

Kale's eyes widen and he says "Ah..." in comprehension, making Barker smile at Marker (the latter mirroring his brother's look) at another explanation done well.

Kale's initial hits on the tree and the bush start off as light, causing his brothers to say "Hit harder" at regular intervals. When Kale is allowed to have a break before doing some more slashing, the young wolf looks at his throbbing paws and notices his claws have dulled.

 **Kale:** "Caws're geh'ing dull...Can I tsop for da day?"

 **Marker:** "Absolutely not."

Having had the personal talk with Kale before he started his first jaw-flexing exercise yesterday, Barker leans over and whispers to Marker, "Family before da pack, bro."

Marker pauses for three seconds and then goes "Oh!" as he realizes what his oldest brother means: they need to push Kale, but not too hard.

 **Barker:** "Since you don't want ya's claws to break off, just hit da bush and not da tree. Now dat you's claws are dulled, you'll have ta hit even harder. Understand?"

 **Kale** (nods) **:** "Yeth, bro."

Three minutes later, the break is over and Kale gets back to hitting the bush. He puts his back into it, but it's still not enough to live up to his brothers' seemingly impossible standards. Every time they say "Don't let up, Track; Harder, Track; Pet puppy dogs hit harder than that;" and "step it up, Track", Kale uses the anger of his mock-nickname to enhance his blows. There is no denying of the love he has for his brothers, but like any kid his age facing such a predicament, he pretends that he's hitting his brothers for calling him that. His imagination does the job, and his blows have more strength behind them, making time fly by faster and making him feel better from the release of anger.

 **Kale thinking:** " _I'll show 'em one day. I'll show 'em that I'm betta at more than just tracking. Then they'll never call me 'Track' again._ "

* * *

As the weeks progressed, Kale's speed, bite and claw slashes markedly improved, but still weren't on the same level of the rest of his family. Nevertheless, he became much faster and stronger than he was before, and was confident that the harder he trains, the better he will get. Barker and Marker also found it very enjoyable coaching Kale because it helped those two build their leadership skills that will become important for them when they plan on starting packs of their own. Although the two are committed to following their parents' wishes of keeping the Sniff-Trackers as a family-only pack, Barker and Marker couldn't help but daydream that their successes with Kale would earn them the recognition of Bone-Chomper Leo who would accept them into his pack. Not to mention that the brothers spending time with Kale left Eddie and Sharnese with a lot of free time to become closer to one another in a way they hadn't done since they started dating. Before having pups, Eddie and Sharnese had been a very romantic and adventurous couple, always going out to look at breathtaking views of countless acres of land from hills or mountains, going out to hunt, and going out to socialize at wolf pack gatherings. Ever since they had Barker, they had to sacrifice all their free time to raise their children. But they have been able to experience those days of adventure once again while their sons worked to make Kale a better wolf. It made the mates feel young again, and happier than ever before.

So everyone seems to have benefitted from Kale's regimen...But as they say, all good things must come to an end. And that end came when Kale was 10, Marker was 15 and Barker was 18.

* * *

In an alcove surrounded by shrubs, Kale is gathered around in a circle of 13 wolves—five from the Sniff-Tracker Pack and eight from the Bone-Chomper Pack—as the predators talk about an important matter.

 **Bone-Chomper Leo:** "It happened again today. Da mountain lion who moseyed into this part'a da wilderness last month ruined my pack's hunt."

 **Bone-Chomper Emmy:** "My mate Leo, my daughter Gabby, along with Capone, and Nelson were sneakin' up on some human farmer sucker's sheep when dat cat just popped out into the open."

 **Gabby:** "He scared da woolcoats away, but didn't even bother ta eat dem. Den he had the nerve to look at us with a sneer. That's when we knew he did it on purpose."

Kale knows that his godsister isn't lying, but his previous experiences with Bone-Chomper Gabby have been full of her bratty attitude and spoiled privileges. That's why he can't help but brood in response, " _You should know all about dat..._ "

 **Capone:** "Dat's when we also knew this cougar looked odd. His face and body're messed up, and not from battle scars, but from some genetic defect, or possibly nuclear waste."

 **Nelson:** "I would'a bitten that strange 'n ugly look right offa his face, but then one of da farmhands got out a gun and shot at the prick. When the puma gave 'im da slip, he saw us and tried ta take us down, but we escaped without any casualties."

 **Emmy:** "We would normally have tried to get wild prey, but the darn cougar has scared off all the other prey animals, leaving us with nowhere else ta get a bite ta eat 'cept where there's humans, and those are more dangerous than a wolverine 'cuz of their guns."

 **Leo:** "Dis is the fourth time this week that he ruined our hunt. We would be a 'lil more forgiving if da cat actually ate the prey that he either scares away or steals from us, but we's found da carcasses of the animals he took dead from their wounds."

 **Capone:** "Meaning da cat's killin' for sport, _and_ just ta honk us off!"

 **Eddie:** "Yeah, he's done the same ta our pack. But thanks ta our son Kale, and his brothers' work with 'im, we's been able to keep track of the mountain lion and stopped many a pursuit dat would've been a waste of time."

 **Bonnie:** "Why haven't ya's tried to hunt him down? It'd be the least thing he'd expect."

Eddie and Sharnese look at each other in embarrassment, Barker and Marker look at their parents in a way that demands explanation for past misdeeds, and Kale looks at his parents in confusion.

 **Sharnese:** "Well...our pack's not as numerous or as strong as yours. And we got's three pups ta look after."

As usual, Bone-Chomper Dillinger doesn't speak and lets his actions do the talking. He rolls his eyes then shakes his head side to side in dismay of how pathetic the Sniff-Trackers are. Noticing this, Clyde says, "Ha. You 'said' it, Dillinger. What'a bunch'a cowards! Ha, ha, h!—"

Leo snarls, dashes at Clyde, bites him on the scruff of the neck, and slams his head on the ground, while Emmy does the same to Dillinger, causing the latter to actually let out grunt. The two surname Bone-Chompers take their teeth off of the wolves they attacked, but use their strong forelegs to keep the belligerent-worded and -gestured individuals pinned.

 **Leo:** "Dat's my godbrother and godsister you's insulted. We was best friends when you's two were still nursin' from your mommy's suckles! And he risked his life and freedom by savin' me from bein' the wolf exhibit inna zoo. They may not be as infamous as you's, but they's the most adventurous, most hardcore partyin' and most intelligent wolves I've ever known! And you's two will respect 'em! Clear?!"

 **Clyde** (frantically) **:** "Clear, boss!"

For the first time in his 10 years, Kale hears Dillinger speak. It's such an uncommon occurrence that it makes everyone—Bone-Chompers and Sniff-Trackers—turn their heads and continue to keep their yaps shut when the black-furred wolf says, "Same here, boss."

Leo and Emmy take their weight off of Clyde and Dillinger respectively and then walk back to their vacant spots in the circle as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. Barker and Marker widen their eyes and go " _Whoa_ " or " _Cool_ " in their minds, completely awestruck at the power and respect that their godparents command. They find themselves wishing yet again that they had been born into the Bone-Chomper Pack instead of the Sniff-Trackers, because deep down they know that Clyde and Dillinger are correct. As for Kale, he's thankful that Clyde and Dillinger stopped teasing his parents, and can't wait to be as good as they are one day. But everyone's minds gets back to business when Leo continues.

 **Leo:** "Back to da matter at hand...Where were we's?"

 **Eddie:** "I said dat my family-pack has avoided futile pursuits of the cougar thanks ta my son Kale's super-sniffer."

 **Leo:** Ah yes, which brings me to why we assembled dis meeting in the first place. Your pack, Eddie, has the nose, and my pack has da muscle. We's gonna form a search 'n destroy party to hunt and ice the mountain lion once and for all for causin' trouble and upsettin' the balance of prey and predators in this area. You're pack will track down da cougar, and my pack will finish 'im off."

Eddie is glad that Leo has chosen for the Bone-Chompers to handle the harder work. This mountain lion is smart and devious, an opponent that could spell trouble for Eddie's sons who aren't as old or experienced as his godbrother's pack.

 **Eddie:** "That sounds—"

The immediate image of Barker and Marker out of the corner of his eye, sighing and slumping down in disappointment, coupled with Eddie's recall of seeing those two sons look so proudly at Leo shortly before, changes Eddie's whole demeanor and his outlook on Leo's plan. It is one thing if a Bone-Chomper insults the passivity of the Sniff-Trackers, but for Eddie's own oldest sons to feel ashamed of being his children is something else. Kale is too young to understand, but Barker, Marker, Sharnese, and even Eddie himself know all too well that the Sniff-Trackers' record of devoting more time to raising their family instead of raising a fearsome wolf pack, makes them the black sheep of the wolf species. This becomes most noticeable while in the presence of another wolf pack. Whenever it happened, Eddie and Sharnese either accepted the insults without retort, or relied on Leo and Emmy to defend them. Their sons weren't around for most of those occurrences, but when they were, the disappointment is hard to miss, or forget. That gives Eddie a sudden urge to make his oldest sons feel proud of being a Sniff-Tracker, and to boost the pack's standing among other wolves. He is tired of letting Leo stand up for him, and wants to stand up for himself for his family's sake, and to soothe his own conscience of being softcore wolves.

Awkwardly, he freezes up as all of this passes through his head, and the other wolves honestly think Eddie's brain has been broken. Wanting to move things along after 10 seconds of silence and staring at Eddie, Sharnese gives the answer that Eddie meant to say.

 **Sharnese:** "That sounds perfect, Leo."

Everyone jumps when Eddie blurts out, "No!" and all eyes turn to him once again.

Regaining his composure, Eddie says, "Um, pardon me, but I think my family alone can handle dis job. I mean, it's one cougar after all, and I's have five wolves in my pack. Dat should be more than enough."

 **Emmy:** "Wrong, Ed. You's got two adults, includin' yourself, and three kids. My mate's pack has eight adult wolves," (gestures her head toward Gabby) "our youngest is 19-years-old," (gestures her head towards the other Bone-Chompers) "and we's all well-experienced in killin' top predators."

Remembering what happened earlier when Clyde and Dillinger insulted the Sniff-Trackers, all of the non-surname Bone-Chompers silently add something along the lines of " _Unlike you're pack_ ," to Eddie. The faces of Barker and Marker, on the other hand, light up brightly at how their father has finally decided to let the Sniff-Trackers get some glory. Neither wants this opportunity, this privilege, to pass up, so they fight for it using words like they mean it, like they've never fought using words before.

 **Barker:** "I's not a pup! I'm 18 and have already had my coming-of-age hunt, so dat gives our pack a third adult. And I've based my huntin' strategies on your pack, godmother Emmy, so I know how ta hunt good."

 **Leo** (smirks) **:** "That you did, boy... _that_ _you_ _did_."

Upon hearing her mate and oldest son speak, Sharnese also wants the Sniff-Trackers to hunt the mountain lion alone, and figures now is the perfect time to win Leo over by appealing to his ego like Barker just did.

 **Sharnese:** "He always liked spendin' more time with your pack dan he did at home, Leo. All of that wasn't for nothin', my son Barker's a one-wolf wreckin' crew. And with me and my mate alongside 'im, we'll be unstoppable."

 **Leo:** I see...But what about ya's other sons, Marker and Kale? They're still pups."

 **Marker:** "I may be 15 and haven't had my coming-of-age hunt, but I hunt like a fully grown wolf. Barker taught me."

Still not understanding the true motives behind his parents' sudden change of heart, and with his young mind seeing this hunt as a chance for adventure and excitement, Kale also joins in to convince Leo.

 **Kale:** "My bro's have taught me ta hunt betta too! I can run faster and hit harder dan ever before, so they's definitely got da skills of grown-ups."

 **Eddie:** "He's tellin' the truth, Leo." (Gesturing his head at Sharnese) "My mate and I tried ta make Kale a betta wolf, which didn't work out," (gesturing his head at his older sons) "but Barker and Marker's work with 'im has succeeded where we failed."

Like a teacher giving quick silent praise to a student's correct answer, even some of the Bone-Chompers nod and one-shoulder-shrug while turning their respective paw facing palm-up and foreleg out in affirmation. They recall that, during first few times Kale had hunted with them, they thought the pup was a jinx, a real foul-up, but the kid demonstrated notable improvements in more recent hunts, even though his strength and intellect were still below average for most wolves of his age.

 **Leo:** "But he's still a pup, and if I was da cougar, I'd target him first."

Kale's eyes widen as he suddenly realizes that this hunt, his first hunt against a predator without the aid of the Bone-Chompers, isn't a game and could be dangerous. But his fear leaves as soon as Sharnese responds to Leo's good point.

 **Sharnese:** "That won't happen, 'cuz we'll each protect Kale with all of our lives...just like we'll watch each otha's backs."

The Sniff-Trackers then receive help from the most unlikely of sources, from someone who had insulted them.

 **Clyde:** "Maybe we's _should_ let 'em ice the puma without us, boss. It'll give us a chance ta search for some food."

 **Bonnie:** "I'll second dat. I don't know about da rest of you's, but I'm starvin' like a hunger-striker. I don't wanna hunt no cougar on an empty stomach."

 **Gabby:** "It seems they can take care of demselves, papa. With Track's nose and the others' skills, dey can make short work of any predator."

 **Capone:** "After all, our pack's got enough glory. We might as well let you's beloved godsiblings get some too."

 **Leo:** "That's also why I think dey shouldn't go it alone."

When Leo walks up to Eddie and looks seriously into his eyes, Eddie gives his best friend his undivided attention.

 **Leo:** "Look Eddie, you's the best friend I've ever had, we's been through a lot of good times and bad times together. I'd like ta continue doin' that stuff with your pack and mine. So you should take my advice when I say dat doin' dis for glory isn't da proper mindset."

 **Eddie:** "I know, Leo, but..." (Looks at the longing faces of his pack and then mirrors Leo's serious tone) "I want my family to be able to hold their heads up high whenever they walk among other packs...I want my sons ta feel proud of bein' Sniff-Trackers...I want them ta find mates and have pups of dare own, for Sharnese and I to have grandpups...I want my mate and I ta leave behind a successful legacy when we's long and gone. You's don't understand what it's like ta be mocked and frowned upon by other wolves, not with a pack as great as yours. This one hunt against a cougar probably won't even raise my pack's standin' by that much at all, but the success'll raise the standin' of my family's hearts."

Leo glances at Sharnese, Barker, Marker, and Kale and sees them nod with glistening eyes. He doesn't see desperation or sorrow in them, only hope. Hope that is in his paws to decide whether to grant it or crush it, because his pack is the most prestigious among the ones present and is thus bound by the codes of wolf society to dictate. He silently agrees that Eddie is right, he can't understand the feeling of inferiority that his best friend's pack lives with every day. If Leo was in Eddie's situation, he'd want a way out of it too. So Bone-Chomper Leo makes his decision in his mind, and takes a breath to say it out loud.

 **Leo:** "When you's meet up with da cougar, tell 'im dat 'The Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack sends their regards.' "

The Sniff-Tracker boys gasp and smile at each other before breaking out in a howl of celebration. Even Sharnese does a fist-pump while softly saying, "Yes!", and Eddie walks up and embraces Leo in a tight hug.

 **Eddie:** "Thanks, Leo. You don't how much dis means for my pack."

 **Leo:** "You're my brother from another mother, Ed, I'd do anythin' for you and ya's kids."

When the two pack godfathers let go of each other, Leo clears his throat, which causes Eddie to look at his sons who are still gloating and to gesture them to quiet down. When they go silent, Eddie looks back at Leo who is all business.

 **Leo:** "My pack recovered the body of a raccoon that da cougar killed today, recovered it with as minimal tampering on our part as wolfly possible. It still has da cat's scent on it, so have you's family smell it and track da vile feline down."

 **Eddie:** "Consider it done, Leo."

 **Leo:** "Happy huntin', Sniff-Trackers."

Dillinger leads Eddie's pack to where the raccoon carcass is located in the shrubs, let's them take a good whiff of it, and Kale leads the Sniff-Trackers into the direction of the setting sunlight. Leo watches them until they disappear from his keen sight.

As soon as that happens, Leo's intuition grips him in a strange feeling: worry for the Sniff-Trackers. He doesn't know why it comes up just now instead of before, but he is smart enough to trust his intuition, which is what stupid creatures forget to do.

 **Leo:** "Hey Emmy?"

 **Emmy:** "Yeah love?"

 **Leo:** "Lead da pack to find some food, and bring some back for me."

 **Gabby:** "You's not coming, papa?"

 **Leo:** "I'm not hungry right now, and someone's gotta stay behind ta 'hold the fort' in case da cougar comes around here ta claim our place as his den."

 **Emmy:** "Well..."

She then sees the look of concern in her mate's eyes and knows she needs to go along with what is now clearly an excuse to do something else.

 **Emmy:** "Okay." (Raises voice) "Leo's stayin' behind ta guard our dwelling, so I'm takin' charge of da hunt for food. Rally on me, folks!"

The other Bone Chompers don't question their godfather's decision for a microsecond, and let Emmy take them away, leaving Leo all by himself. But he doesn't stay there for long...

* * *

After 12 minutes of searching, the Sniff-Trackers, led by Kale's gifted sense of smell, arrive right outside the area where the cougar's scent is strongest. The place is in the forest so it is full of trees, various shrubs, ivy, and vine bushes. Not wanting to give themselves away by noise, the wolves exhale-talk out of their noses to make their slightly hummed words come off as a breathing whisper, and use their sensitive hearing to make out the words.

 **Kale:** "We's close. Just a few more—"

Kale takes one step forward, and is then stopped by his mom's grip.

 **Sharnese:** "Remember what Leo warned ya about. You's get in da middle and we'll surround ya. You can smell good enough to pinpoint the exact location of da cougar even when you's not leadin' the way."

Kale nods and lets his family get into one of their common attack formations which resembles a 5 on a pair of dice. Barker and his mom get in front of Kale, the former going diagonally to Kale's left and the latter going diagonally to his right. Eddie is behind Kale, located diagonally to the pup's right, and Marker located diagonally to Kale's left. They proceed as one body and have all of their senses peaked at their highest performance levels. All five wolves can smell the cougar's scent very well at this range, but even so, they let Kale direct them because they know he can get them at the exact spot they need to be. To do this, Kale licks Barker's tail whenever he wants the pack to turn left—doing multiple licks whenever they need to turn sharper—and licks Sharnese's tail whenever he wants the pack to go to the right. Whenever he wants them to go straight, he won't lick anyone's tail.

They arrive at a spot that is vacant of any trees, but has some sticker vines and magnolia bushes on the left and right sides. Straight ahead and at the very end is a barbwire fence that has a gap in the middle, and beyond that is a steep drop down a hill that almost vertical.

Eddie notes the cougar's choice of a dwelling is good; all the feline will have to do to win is push one them through the gap in the fence. Furthermore, the sticker vines and the part of the fence that is intact prevent any retreat, except back the way his family is coming. His thoughts return to his surroundings when Kale exhale-talks.

 **Kale:** "Straight ahead. To the left and on the barbwire."

The other four wolves tense up, ready for action—

—But then relax when they do not see the cougar at the spot Kale pointed out, but something else instead. Sharnese processes the image first, and speaks to save the others time.

 **Sharnese:** "It's just a chuck'a da puma's fur hangin' from the barbwire."

Since there is nothing to fear in the area, she and her family are able to speak at normal volume without exhaling through their noses. Eddie sighs in disappointment while Barker and Marker groan.

 **Marker:** "You been leadin' us the wrong way all along, Track!"

 **Kale:** "I swear the cougar's here! I don't understand how it's not."

 **Barker:** "If you's messed up _this_ bad, you shouldn't even be called 'Track' anymore. I got it, you's new nickname will be 'Flop,' because dat's what you are: a big flop!"

 **Sharnese:** "Stop blamin' Kale, boys. It's our fault as much as his if you's and I couldn't use our own sense of smell ta go the correct direction."

However, as soon as Marker had spoken, Eddie jogged forward to smell the patch of cougar fur on the barbwire, then raised his head high to take another big sniff to double check if the cougar might be in this area after all. The result is clear to him once Sharnese finished speaking just now, and is distressing to say the least. He rushes back to them, speaking while doing so.

 **Eddie:** "Everyone, quiet. Kale's right."

 **Barker:** "What're you's sayin', dad?"

 **Eddie:** "Sniff right now." (Pauses for two seconds as his family smells the air) "Dare's no way the scent in the air can be that strong just from that piece of fur over there." (Points at the barbwire fence) "The only way for the trail ta lead us in dis area is if the cougar is close by!"

Everyone's heart skips a beat, and their insides turn to mush in comprehension of the imminent danger they are in. Kale doesn't get over it, but the fear doesn't last long for the other four wolves and they start getting back into their formation to protect Kale.

Suddenly, a shrill and bizarre war cry breaks the silence. "Eee-chap'a'jo'ga, eeeka'bah'yo'yah, meega-merra-somey-yama," (Very fast) "wolfie-wolfie-wolfie-wolfie-wolfie, Ah-OOOOOOOOOO!"

A blur of motion, a brief sighting of sand-colored fur, and the five wolves are knocked to the ground as the cougar runs into them like a maniac with not regard for its own safety. The feline rolls out of the way, looking silly as if it's doing a pet dog trick, but successfully avoids Eddie from biting it in retaliation.

Now that things have had time to process in his mind, Eddie's first thought is that the mountain lion has led them into a trap, using its fur on the barbwire to lure the wolves to his position and fight them on his own terms. However, when the puma finishes rolling and stands up so that it's facing the wolves, the latter make several...disturbing observations and inferences about their opponent. The cougar has two extra sets of whiskers located above the eyebrows, a left eyeball that is lower than its right one, the left foreleg is disproportionately larger than its right foreleg; the hind legs are even in size, but the right hindpaw is larger than the left hindpaw.

 **Note** **: The following is based off of Iggy Koopa's actions from** _ **New Super Mario Bros. Wii**_ **and** _ **NSMB 2**_ **.**

The cougar then let's out a loud and sharp gasp while cupping his right paw at his mouth as if surprised, only to bring its hindquarters around to face the Sniff-Trackers in one jump, and wiggle his rear end at them in a taunt. The feline laughs, then turns itself so that his head is facing the bewildered canines, and his facial expression changes from goofy and carefree into serious and fierce. Adding to this, the cougar lets out a roar and his once-wandering eyes become locked onto the wolves. As if the large cat's behavior isn't disturbing enough, more so is his voice when he speaks. It constantly changes pitch from high to low—as if the puma can't decide whether he should speak in a masculine or feminine voice—and interchanges the speed at which the words come out.

 **Cougar:** "I mUst DEfend my kINngdOm. MusT proTecT the QUeen. MuSt PrOtect the prIde! The vOIces...they CoMMAnd me. I SHALL OBEEEEEEEEYYYYYY!"

Eddie and Sharnese quickly and mentally piece together the snippets of knowledge they have observed ever since laying their eyes on the cougar. For starters, it's deformed physical appearance and psychotic behavior means that the animal is the result of inbreeding, two generations at the least in Eddie's and Sharnese's opinions. Even in the animal kingdom, inbreeding has serious consequences on the mind and body. In all fairness, the cat isn't mentally challenged just plain insane, like that one hyena from the critically-acclaimed lion cartoon movie.

As soon as the thought of how in the world a crackpot like this cougar could cause so much trouble for the Bone-Chompers, Sniff-Trackers, and prey animals enters Eddie's head, he realizes something that Leo's pack did not. The cat had not interfered with previous hunts or fatally injured prey without eating it out of spite, but because he was psychotic, unable to discern the difference between right and wrong. This cougar could have made any facial expression at the Bone-Chompers when it ruined their sheep hunt, but was coincidentally giving them a sneer. And as for the feline's "genius plan" to lure the wolves to him, the Sniff-Trackers have instead simply come in at the wrong place and wrong time—when the cougar had been coincidentally close to where he tore some of his fur off on the barbwire.

Still, there are five of them and one of him, and each wolf is smarter than their opponent, so nature is on the Sniff-Trackers' side. Moreover, since time immemorial, canines have always hated cats, a concept that holds true not only for house pets, but in the wild too. Only now, the Sniff-Trackers will be fighting a mentally insane feline. But Eddie and Sharnese are confident that no amount of insanity is going to give this predatory cat an advantage, no matter how unpredictable he will be.

 **Eddie:** "Surround 'im!"

Just as the wolves break their close formation to create a wider berth, the cougar instantly notices Kale. Even the cougar's warped mind has the intellect to instinctively go after the smallest and weakest of the bunch.

 **Cougar:** "Waka-waka, Lake Titicaca!"

Barker and Maker have flanked around the puma and move in to attack, but then the feline leaps into the air, over Eddie and Sharnese—both of whom yell, "Run, Kale!"—and lands inches from the 10-year-old wolf's tail. The cougar bites down on the tail tip and holds Kale. The young wolf expects the bite to hurt, maybe even sever the end of his tail, but as luck would have it, the cougar bites Kale with the strength of puppy squeezing a chew toy. Eddie quickly approaches behind the puma and aims for the right hind leg, but the feline raises said leg and kicks Eddie in the muzzled face, scratching him with the long claws and fazing him from the blow of the disproportionately large paw.

Getting the impression that the cougar will be easily susceptible to distractions, Sharnese cries out, "Hey, cat-litter!"

The cougar turns his head left to look at Sharnese, moving Kale while doing so, and goes, " _G_ uuhhh?!"

 **Sharnese:** "Let go of my son!"

She hits the puma hard in the ribs with her teeth clamping down and keeping a tight grip like a leech, causing the feline to drop his grip on Kale, and drawing some cheers from Barker and Marker as they run in to get back into the fight. But strangely, the cougar's reaction is not one of pain, but of humor.

 **Cougar:** "Yee-hah, ha-haaaa! Hoo-hoo-hoo, haaaa!"

The cat brings its left hindpaw forward in a way similar to how canines do when they scratch their ears, and slashes at Sharnese who quickly lets go to avoid the claws. The cougar gives her his full attention, and he interchanges raising his left eyebrow then his right eyebrow rapidly in a comedic fashion.

 **Sharnese thinking:** " _If dis looney's mind can understand the concept, I bet he thinks he's his own greatest audience._ "

In any case, the cougar's cockiness (or insanity) costs him this time, as he is too late to stop Barker as the wolf attacks the feline's left hindleg and while Marker gets the right one.

 **Cougar** (while snarling in pain) **:** "Dirty-girty from bizerty!"

 **Barker:** "No one gets ta mess—"

 **Marker:** "—with my littlest bro—"

 **Barker and Marker in unison:** "—except _me!_ "

Before the puma can try to free himself, Eddie jumps on top of him and bites the back of the cat's neck. Kale bites down on the left forepaw and Sharnese on the right, effectively pinning him in place. Unbeknown to the others, Eddie's bite on the feline is more to gain a grip than to do damage, and will not cause even a minor injury if he yanks. Therefore, he lets go of the cougar's neck for a second, intending to get a death grip on the cat when his teeth reconnect with it. But somehow, feeling the pressure on his neck suddenly going away causes the cat to say something that actually makes sense...sort of.

 **Cougar** (deep, guttural scream like a heavy metal rock singer) **:** "Crocodile DEATHROOOOLLLLL!"

True to his words, the cougar whips his body to the right with all of his strength and enters a roll. The suddenness of the movement catches all of the wolves by surprise, because they had been certain that victory was near. Despite four wolves gripping the extremities, the cougar is still physiologically stronger than a wolf, and now with adrenaline pumping through his veins, he has the strength to make the four lose their hold on him. But each loses their grip one at a time—Eddie, Sharnese, Kale, Marker, and Barker—and each is about five feet apart from the other. Because Barker is closest to the cougar, the predatory cat targets him once he exits the roll four feet away from the gap in the barbwire fence, and ipso facto four feet from the steep drop. But as luck would have it, the cougar's fractured brain makes him take his time with finishing the oldest of the three siblings.

 **Cougar** (while slashing with his left foreclaw) **:** "Pat-a cake," (while slashing with his right foreclaw) "pat-a cake," (while hitting Barker with his left clawed fist) "ba-ker's," (while hitting Barker with his right clawed fist) "man!"

Barker is finding it hard to remain conscious and knows that another strong blow—that the cougar is already raising his left foreleg to do—will kill him. However, the blow does not fall on Barker, but on Kale as he comes running in to attack the cougar and thus save Barker. The hit brings Kale forward and sprawled on top of Barker.

 **Note : The following words of the Cougar are based on the _Looney Tunes_ episode, "The Duxorcist."**

After scoring the first hit on Kale, the cougar continues his jargon by saying, "Ma-ry," (while hitting Kale again to ensure the young wolf stays down) "had-a—"

The cougar then hits Marker with his left paw when the wolf tries to come to his brothers' aid, causing the 15-year-old canine to land in front of the cat and two feet from his brothers. While that happens, the cougar follows up with, "Li-ttle," (while hitting Marker again to ensure the wolf stays down) "lamb!"

The cougar leaps backward without taking his eyes off the three siblings, the latter of whom can only drearily open their eyes and prepare for their doom.

 **Cougar** (while jumping forward with his right claw ready to deliver a killing blow to the jugular veins of all three wolves in a single swipe) "And I _**ATE**_ _**IT!**_ "

Even in this dire situation, the love that Barker and Marker have for Kale gives each the strength to do one last thing in an effort to protect their youngest sibling. Marker does his best to stand to use himself as a body shield, while Barker covers Kale's eyes with his outstretched paws. As he does this, Barker weakly whispers, "Don't look, _Kale_. It'll be over soon."

Marker immediately adds, "Love ya, _Kale..._ You too, Barker."

Hearing his brothers call him by his real name for the first time in several years makes Kale's eyes widen, but he still can't see past Barker's paw. And considering what is moments away from happening, that is for the best. At least Kale can take comfort in knowing that, in their last moments on Earth, his brothers finally addressed him in the way he's wanted them to for a long time, but he's too worn out to even make a reply.

Right as Marker blinks, Sharnese appears in front of him after dashing in from the side, and kicks her left hind leg back as hard as she can. This makes Marker stumble over backwards into Barker and Kale, which causes all three to start tumbling down the steep, grassy hill.

Before blacking out, the three brothers can hear three more things from above.

 **Cougar** (exclaiming in surprise) **:** "Oogly-boogly, screwy-Louie?!"

A wet-sounding _Scr-atch!_

 **Eddie** (screaming) **:** "Sharneeeeese!"

* * *

The sky is dark with night by the time Barker wakes up, and he is groggy and sore. He looks around and sees Marker off to his right next to a bush with soft, green leaves, and Kale is behind Barker lying flat on a pile of fallen leaves and pine straw. They are both still breathing, so Barker's most fearful concern is put to rest. The brothers were luckier than he realizes, too. Because the three had passed out, their bodies had relaxed rather than tensed as they tumbled downhill, which prevented any of them from getting sprained or broken limbs. Barker's eyes widen and he gasps when he suddenly remembers that his parents had been fighting the cougar up top. Still too tired to stand, he looks 50 feet uphill at the barbwire fence above, takes a breath to project his voice, but stops when he thinks about his brothers' well-being. He musters the little strength remaining in him to slowly make his way to Kale.

 **Barker** (while shaking Kale) **:** "Wake up, Kale. C'mon."

With Kale not budging, Barker thinks of a surefire way to make the kid get going.

 **Barker** (stern and giving Kale a hard tap) **:** "Get up, _Track_."

Like a lazy human refusing to get out of bed to go to school, Kale slowly opens his eyes and speaks in bitter exhaustion from his interrupted beauty sleep.

 **Kale:** "Stop callin' me 'Track.' "

 **Barker** (thinly smiles) **:** "Now dat you's listenin', do ya's best to get on ya feet. I'm goin' ta get Marker up."

 **Marker's voice:** "Already ahead of ya, bro."

Barker and Kale turn to look at Marker as he gets to his feet. Just as Barker starts to genuinely enjoy the relief of him and his brothers' survival, Kale's next comment brings reality crushing back down on their spirits.

 **Kale** (panicking) **:** "Where's ma 'n dad?!"

 **Maker** (ditto) **:** "Dey still up there! And I think ma's hurt!" (Looking up at the hilltop) "Ma! Dad! You's two up there?!"

 **Kale** (looking up at the hilltop) **:** "Say somethin'!"

 **Barker** (ditto) **:** "Are ya's okay?!"

The brothers listen closely, consciously giving their sense of hearing all of their physiological energy. They hear footsteps from above, which approach closer to the barbwire fence, and from the gap emerges—

"*Beeeeeeellllchhhhh*"

—The cougar...whose face-fur is colored all red. The three wolves swear that they can _feel_ their hearts break at what the image they are seeing means. Their parents are dead, and are never coming back. But their heartache is put on hold when they hear what the cougar has to say.

 **Cougar:** "Yummy, yummy, yummy. In my tummy, _tummy_ , _**tummy**_."

With the look that the cougar is giving the Sniff-Tracker boys as he speaks, it is both surprising and ominous at how his words make perfect sense. He was not talking about the two wolves already in his stomach, because when the cougar had spoken, his eyes become fixated onto the three wolves below. Those eyes are twinkling with unspeakable hunger and madness, the eyes of a creature that _lusts_ for killing and will not stop until its desire is fulfilled.

The wolves don't know it, but this cougar also has an eating disorder, specifically from an enlargement of the pituitary gland which controls the feeling of hunger in vertebrate animals. Normally, animals eat only when they are hungry, but this puma thinks he's always hungry, even after eating two adult wolves. To make matters worse, the three below discover from the way that the puma makes two nimble jumps as it comes down the hill, that he won't be sluggish from a full stomach in the slightest; indicating the cat has incredibly fast metabolism. The Sniff-Trackers turn around and start to run away, but their aching bodies substantially slow them down. Barker thinks that the cougar would most likely catch up with them even if they weren't sore, but can't think of any better options than to delay the inevitable.

Marker takes a look over his shoulders to check on where the cougar is now, which in a very real sense is a measurement of how much longer he and his brothers have left to live. He sees that the cat has made two more leaps, and a third one will put him on the ground level. But Marker also catches a glimpse of something on top of the hill, which causes him to stop and turn around to stare in confusion.

Noticing his brother has stopped running like an idiot, Barker yells, "What're ya doin', Marker!—"

 **Marker** (reacting to what he had seen instead of Barker's words) **:** "DAD?!"

Barker and Kale stop, turn around, and look up at the hill with their hopes as high as their bewilderment. However, they don't see anything.

Angry at how Marker got his hopes up for nothing, and that he and his brothers' deaths are all the nearer from stopping to look, Barker snarls out, "Dis isn't a time for hallucinations!"

Suddenly, a loud scream breaks through the forest, the voice bellowing, "YOU'RE DOG CHOW!"

 **Cougar:** "EEko-BEekO?"

He turns around to face the one who had spoken, looking directly behind him at first, but doesn't see anything. Half a second later, the feline looks up the hill, but doesn't see anything there either. Half a second after that, he gasps as his eyes look into the air above him.

 **Cougar** (panicking) **:** "Beeka bah-yo!"

The Sniff-Trackers' knight-in-moon-lit shining fur lands right on top of the cougar, revealing the identity of the savior to be Bone-Chomper Leo! The three kids don't have time to cheer, because the puma rolls to get Leo off of him, and stares hard at the attacker when he stands up.

 **Leo** (in seething rage) **:** "You killed my best friend ever, and his mate! I'm gonna tear ya ta pieces until every part of ya, on da inside and outside, is small enough to fit inna can of cat food!"

As soon as Leo finishes speaking, and despite how strong he is, the three remaining Sniff-Trackers seriously doubt that their literal-godfather can win against the cougar all by himself. There had been five of them before, and they still didn't succeed. And when the cougar speaks, he at least has a game plan.

 **Cougar:** "CHeW tOy. _WOlfIE_ chew toyyy."

Leo waits for the cougar to make the first move, which is a high and forward jump with his body curled in a C-shape that has all four paws stretched outward. Leo dodges by getting out of the way, but is immediately running for the puma as it flies past him...going for the Sniff-Trackers. With their bodies facing in the direction of the cougar, it's faster for the three boys to scatter to the side instead of trying to turn around and run in the opposite direction. Even so, they're not fast enough. The puma's right forepaw trips Marker who falls face-first onto the ground, but Marker is saved when Leo bites into the predatory cat's neck at the left side.

Their parents had tried a similar tactic, so the boys expect to see a repeat of the cougar using either of its free fore- and -hindleg to slash Leo. But Bone-Chomper Leo is no inexperienced novice when it comes of fighting mountain lions. Paradoxically, he has never lost a single fight against other top predators precisely because he knows that, as a wolf, his strength alone cannot kill a predator animal that is physiologically stronger than himself. Instead, he figured out a long time ago that it's not the strength of a blow that matters, but where the blow hits that counts, which is why his maw is latched hard onto the cougar's neck. Before the feline can bring one of its paws to smack Leo away, the wolf does a front flip that takes him from the puma's left side to right side, the canine's teeth and grip causing the neck to snap while doing so. The great cat falls to the ground, dead as a doornail, and that's when the cheering begins.

 **Barker:** "Olè, Leo! _Gran_ olè!"

 **Kale:** "You sure showed 'im!"

 **Marker:** "Gato muerto!"

 **Note** **: Barker said "Bravo, Leo!** _ **Big**_ **bravo!", and Marker said "Dead cat!" in Spanish.**

The jubilation is ended by the very guy whom the praise is directed.

 **Leo** (angry) **:** "Knock it off, kids!"

The brothers immediately go silent and wonder how in the world they could be in trouble with Leo, which makes them listen closely.

 **Leo:** "You's just survived a brush with death, but ya parents _did not_."

The information sobers up the three instantly, making the sweet taste of victory turn into the nasty taste of defeat. They slouch down as if they just suffered a physical blow from their literal-godfather. Their heads hang low in sadness, but their ears remain perked up as Leo decides to continue speaking.

 **Leo** (takes in a sorrow-labored breath) **:** "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it: I didn't find any traces of 'em when I arrived at the top'a the hill—at all."

The boys start to cry at the implications. Their parents aren't just dead, but _eaten_. So the three can't even bury Eddie or Sharnese, and can't have a funeral for them either. Compounding this, the quivering voice of Leo as he tries to keep himself from crying makes the three cry harder. Even strong wolves cry, but Leo has to remain composed, or he fears his godsons will lose what's left of their damaged psyche. Leo gives the boys all the time they need to get the worst of the sorrow out, letting them hug each other and him as needed. Leo is impressed when Barker is strong enough to ask him a question three minutes later.

 **Barker:** "H-how'd you get here, Leo? I thought ya's pack wasn't *sniff* coming."

 **Leo:** "...I'm dee only one who came. When all of you's left our hideout, somethin' just didn't feel right about da hunt. I could feel it in my bones. So I decided ta follow ya's, but had ta stay outta Track's nose range to remain hidden so none of ya would get distracted."

Leo takes in a deep breath as he finally prepares to open up his guilty conscience.

 **Leo:** "If I'd been closer...I could'a stopped it...You's parents are dead because of _me_."

Marker and Kale are still too emotional to speak, so Barker replies on their behalf as best as he can.

 **Barker:** "Don't say dat, Leo, you killed da cougar."

Leo takes a big snort to suck up the nose mucus and nods with a toothless grin, glad that the boys don't blame him like he blames himself.

 **Kale** (escalating in a wail) **:** "W-what'll we do with ma and dad...go-onnnne?"

Marker pulls him in for another hug, a hug that Barker joins. Once Kale's fresh tears have all been shed, Leo answers his question.

 **Leo:** "You's three are my godsons. When ya's parents made me you's literal-godfather, I promised ta take care of ya if somethin' ever happened to 'em...You's part of da Bone-Chomper Pack now."

Now it is Barker's and Marker's turn to have a breakdown and they start bawling. They realize now that the concept of karma is cruel. The two of them had always wanted to be a part of the Bone-Chompers, had dreamed about it, and fantasized about it. And now their wish had been granted, but in the most horrible it could happen.

 **Barker:** "It's my fault!"

 **Marker:** "Mine too!"

 **Leo:** "What're ya sayin'?"

 **Barker:** "I-if we's hadn't looked so ashamed—!"

 **Marker:** "—Dad wouldn't have wanted ta do this hunt alone!"

That's it, Leo can't take it anymore. It's one thing for him to feel sorry for the loss of his best friend and best friend's mate, but when their kids start blaming themselves, that's going too far. There is only one way he can avoid breaking down in front of his godsons, one way he can save them from a life of self-loathing. The only way to drive off overwhelming sadness is to use the most powerful emotion of all: anger.

 **Leo** (softly) **:** "Hey..." (Stern) "Hey! Quit dat. Life's hard, which is why, as Bone-Chompers, you's three gotta learn to push life back harder. Da last person you should blame is ya'selves. It wasn't my fault, wasn't any of you's faults, and wasn't ya parents' faults. It was da cougar's fault."

With one more collective sniff, the three boys look at Leo with confusion at first, then, as Leo turns to face the cougar's lifeless body, their eyes narrow.

 **Leo:** "Like I said, dis...Halloween-freak-cat ate 'em! Left nothin' behind for us."

The three boys feel a sudden urge of strength wash over them, wrought from their anger that leads immediately to hatred. They join Leo in forming a semi-circle around the cougar's body, their malice increasing more and more with every footstep. They hate this cougar, hate it more than anything in the whole wide world, and hate it more passionately than anything they will ever hate in their lives. It's like their hatred is burning with the intensity of an entire star going supernova, and they need to get it out of themselves.

 **Leo:** "Nothin' we say're do can change what happened, nothin' can bring your parents back. But we can avenge 'em...You's remember what I said I was gonna do to da cougar?"

The boys nod as all three recall, and subsequently hear, Leo's words in their mind, _"I'm gonna tear ya ta pieces until every part of ya, on da inside and outside, is small enough to fit inna can of cat food!"_

They look at Leo and nod, the former judging their memory's to be spot-on given the fire in their eyes.

 **Leo:** "How I see's it, you's parents are in the belly of da cat...Let's get them ' _out_ ' of him."

* * *

The release of all the anger and hatred—which fulfilled the things that Leo vowed to do to the cougar—lasted 10 minutes, and all four wolves felt much better when they were done. From that point on, the members of the Bone-Chomper Pack adopted and helped the ex-Sniff-Trackers become just as brutal as they were, giving particular attention to Kale. With Barker's and Marker's effective training that made Kale faster and stronger, the Bone-Chompers took on the tasks of making Kale smarter and fiercer while the other two former Sniff-Trackers started doing things that would earn them their new names.

To make Kale smarter the Bone-Chompers gave him advice on how to hunt small-time prey such as chipmunks, gophers, and prairie dogs under the assumption that once he mastered how to take out those prey on his own terms, he would need little education on hunting larger prey animals. Kale will never forget the words of Bone-Chomper Emmy, "Remember, Track, you can't let the prey lead you's anywhere they want ya ta go. You gotta herd them into places where you'll have dee advantage."

Doing that required a good deal of knowledge of the terrain, so Kale always made sure to "do his homework" and learn how to work well with the pack, because hunting is a team sport. One method to aid in this was for the Bone-Chompers to use the terrain of the areas they would travel through to create obstacle courses that Kale had to outsmart his way out of. The Bone-Chompers were a nomadic pack back then, and their frequent travels not only spread word of and attracted attention to their pack among other wolf packs, but also provided Kale with a variety of terrain for his obstacle course runs. He would go through dried up creeks, under low tree branches without touching any leaves, into briar patches, up and around hills or mountain sides, and navigate pitch-black pipes constructed by humans for power plants or sewage run-offs. The Bone-Chompers didn't migrate until Kale had mastered the obstacles of the current area they lived, and then they found a new terrain in which to test him. Fortunately, Kale was a quick learner, and they didn't have to linger in one area for very long. Kale was able to outfox many opponents, but the others still saw and treated him like a kid, and said they would hold off teaching him how to hunt other predators until after his coming-of-age hunt.

Improving Kale's ferocity was the most challenging task because he still had a cute-looking "dog face" instead of a "wolf face" no matter how old he got. Furthermore, the Bone-Chompers wouldn't give Kale any scars unless he deserved to get physically beaten, which never happened because he followed every instruction to the letter...which usually meant taking a backseat and letting the older wolves do the main work. Sure, they had him spar with the rest of the Bone-Chompers as all canines do just to play around, but the members of the greatest wolf pack in the United States had a more unique solution in mind. They taught Kale to hate whatever he is hunting with the same hatred he felt toward the cougar that murdered his parents, even if prey animals haven't done anything wrong to him. In other words, to hunt and talk to prey with extreme prejudice. To do this, they encouraged him think up of species-specific insults. The wolves' knowledge gleaned from the human world further enhanced this ability, and in the blink of an eye, Kale could come up with some rather vulgar specist remarks that hurt the insultees down to the core. This caused the other wolves to get into "insult competitions" as a little side-hobby during hunts to see who could come up with the best verbal put-downs. Only Dillinger refused participating in these, preferring his silence to be used as a weapon of intimidation.

However, in spite of all these successes, Kale's abilities, though above-average for a wolf, were still subpar by the Bone-Chomper Pack's high standards, causing them to never stop calling him "Track." On the upside, they also agreed that Kale needed a coming-of-age hunt in order to start learning how to reach the next level of being fast, strong, smart, and ferocious. If he didn't improve after that, then, as per wolf society codes, he would be considered a lost cause and have to find a different pack. The thought of being kicked out of the greatest wolf pack in America and separated from his only two remaining blood relatives was unthinkable, so he made darn sure that his coming-of-age hunt would be one for the oral history of wolves for many years to come.

Sadly, he had his shot and blew it. Big time. There is no going back and no way to change what happened. All he can do now is fall deeper into his slumber, his dreams and memories vanishing and leaving him in a large void of darkness and peace. In this dreamless sleep he is free of any pain, free of emotional damage, free of hunger, free of the laws of wolf society, and even free of the balance of predators and prey. He is in his own little world, all alone.

But the world outside of Kale's dream state will not leave him alone, and is in fact fixing to give him his next big test. And this time, he will have to make the decision himself.

* * *

 **I hope you liked my different portrayal of wolves in this chapter, and this will continue from here on out. But how _much_ it will continue is for me to know and you to find out. Keep reading and you shall be rewarded with a story full of interesting plot twists!**


	4. Changing Plans and Attitudes

**Chapter 4: Changing Plans and Attitudes**

It's noon on the next day when the hedgies wake up, their stomachs growling from hunger en masse.

 **Ozzie:** "Oh yeah, most of us didn't eat dinner last night."

More stomach growls—which forces some of the animals to groan while holding their bellies—immediately reminds them of the wolf who is in the log down below, so the non-climbers hastily get on the backs of the climbers and they all go down to make sure that Kale hasn't been starving.

Halfway down the tree she had slept in, Luby remarks, "Wait, Simon and his family said they would get us up if the wolf woke up and we had to feed him. So maybe he's still asleep."

Several animals go "Ah" in comprehension, but no one slows down when Stella speaks.

 **Stella:** "Well I'm so hungry that I could eat like an elephant, so let's all hoof it anyway."

There's no disagreement and the animals are all on the ground in no time. Once half of the family finishes breakfast, they head over to the log to check on Kale. Since all of the porcupines are still eating, none of those particular animals needs to be a raccoon to know that they should approach the end where Kale's backside would be facing in order to prevent an ambush. RJ is among this group, and feels the need to stop and inquire about something once he pieces together that they are going around to the log's opposite end instead of the quicker end in front of them.

 **RJ:** "What's with all the caution? Shouldn't he be unable to attack us with his legs still broken?"

 **Rogan:** "Don't start with us, RJ. Like we said last night, you don't know wolves like your mother and I. Even if they're not inherently evil, they're sly as snakes and always find a way to get you when you least expect it."

After briefly recalling his own past experiences with wolves, RJ shrugs and says, "It get ya. But what if he turned around while sleeping? The log is wide enough for him to do that."

The animals at the opposite end of the log, who had just started to remove the first few packages barricading the entrance/exit, abruptly stop and look at RJ in a combination of unease and understanding. All of them, and especially Rogan and Sarah, are thankful that RJ, though being a little too forgiving and sympathetic towards a wolf in their opinions, is at least still cautious about the dangers posed by their "guest." No matter what the wolf said to them last night, no one fully trusts Kale to keep his word, not even RJ. Not only is Kale a wolf, but he is a stranger and a predator. Admittedly, the majority of the hedgies are omnivores who eat a diet of meat and veggies, but each has earned his or her trust among the family and only eats meat from packages or small insects and fish, not any of the animals present among the family. In any case, the new problem RJ just noted leads to a new solution.

 **Emma:** "I've had enough to eat for now, so I'll come help you guys out."

 **Bucky:** "Me too."

 **Rachel:** "Count me in."

 **Spike:** "Likewise."

With the addition of four porcupines, the group of animals over by the log divide their numbers so that half are taking down the packages at one end, and half are doing the same at the other end—both ends with two porcupines ready to use their quills if Kale tries to jump them. When the first layer of packages is removed and the topmost ones that separate the log's entrance from the outside are taken down, a wave a foul-smelling air causes every family member to cover their noses while a few cough and gag.

 **Heather** (speaks in a matter-of-fact tone and in a nasally voice from holding her nostrils closed with her fingers) **:** "Oh yeah, the skunk smell." (Pauses to take a breath away from the log's interior) "Breathe through the mouth or hold your breath, folks."

They nod grimly and continue to remove the packages, but they dare not go too fast unless they want to risk getting eaten. When they finish, they discover to their relief that Kale is still sound asleep. Verne, who can smell the stench from where he is eating, gets up and starts making leadership decisions.

 **Verne:** "Okay, first on the agenda today is to give this wolf a bath, whether we wake him up in the process or not."

 **RJ:** "Not to mention we have to wash the area where he slept and air out the log."

 **Rick:** "I'll second that. I'll go look for some tomatoes and tomato juice to neutralize the smell."

 **Tiger:** "If he does wake up, he'll be very hungry. So we need to have some meat on stand-by at all times."

 **De'Ausha:** "How'll we do that, daddy?"

 **Tiger** (to De'Ausha) **:** "I don't know, Princess." (To the group) "But I am open for suggestions."

 **Rebecca:** "How about we put some meat in a cooler, fill it with ice, and keep it close by to wherever we take him?"

 **RJ:** "Sounds great, sis. You're in charge of that."

 **Verne:** "Now we need to figure out how to move him around, because I'm still sore from last night."

The others are stumped for a bit, still feeling the burn from carrying Kale themselves. Then, proving his raccoon-inherited intelligence, Bernard makes an astounding suggestion.

 **Bernard:** "I got it! Let's put him on Cousin Bucky's off-road skateboard."

 **Heather** (smiling at her son) **:** "Well, well...Look whose getting some bright ideas!"

 **Mary:** "Where'd you think of that, Bernard?"

 **Bernard:** "From that fat dog from the _Tom and Jerry Movie_ , he was always on a skateboard to get around."

 **Ty** (pumps his fist) **:** "Alright! Score one for cartoons!"

With the mood lightened, the family starts doing the things asked and suggested to them, now needing to remember that sometimes the solutions to problems can come from the darndest of all places. As they soak Kale in tomato juice and then wash him off with shampoo, it turns out that Kale is not in a deep sleep, but is out cold as his body and mind are still exhausted from yesterday's ordeals. That makes transporting and cleaning him all the easier, and he stays unconscious until the animals' bedtime that night. As before, they barricade the log on both ends with food packages, but now leave the cooler with the meat inside of it in front of the wolf in case he wakes up and needs to eat. Simon and the other four bats also decide to stay up to warn the others of trouble, not that they expect any to come by.

But soon they will understand that they should have expected trouble.

* * *

Two hours later, Christine hears it first, then the rest of her family perks their ears up and turns in the direction of the noise...of paw prints moving stealthily on the ground. There are two pairs, and they're quadrupeds. Needing to use their second greatest sense to get a better understanding of what's coming, the bats take a big sniff, only to cover their noses from a bad yet familiar stench. The last time they smelled the mixture of skunk spray and animal fur was later in the afternoon today when they woke up. Even as the bats figure out exactly what is heading their way, two voices break the silence, speaking in a hybrid Boston-Latino accent.

 **Voice:** "He's gotta be here, Bugsy."

 **Bugsy:** "Yeah, I smell 'im too, Luciano...If only we could've done that a 'lil past noon today."

Knowing just who the animals are down there and how sensitive said animals' hearing is, the bats refuse to speak aloud and keep silent. Instead, they collectively wonder in dreaded conclusion, " _Just when the rest of the family started bathing the wolf!_ "

There is no doubt anymore. Two members of Kale's pack have returned to look for him, and they are not in the best of moods. Luciano and Bugsy are expecting Kale to owe them big time for the measures the two have gone today to bring their little brother back. What should have taken about two hours tops, turned into a 17 hour ordeal. Under pressure to find and bring back Kale before the other Bone-Chompers woke up, and with genuine anxiety for their little brother driving their thoughts, they forgot to plan things out methodically like wolves. After sneaking away from the Bone-Chomper Pack's dwelling, they intended to retrace their steps all the way back down Kale's hunting path, only to realize that without Kale leading them they had to find his hunting path all over again. That wouldn't have been too much of a problem if the skunk spray on their bodies didn't interfere with their sense of smell, not to mention it also masked Kale's scent. It took Luciano and Bugsy an hour and forty-five minutes to attune their sense of smell to ignore each other's scent and to focus on trying to locate Kale's. It took them four more hours to locate where Kale's hunting path went through, and the brothers wasted a good deal of that time trying to find it by navigating through their pack's previously-used hunting paths—the latter in vain. And then, just as they got the scent of Kale's skunked fur down to the very evaporated molecules that are responsible for causing all things to smell, the skunk smell vanished. The two brothers were forced to start their search back at square one, all with the dreaded knowledge that the Bone-Chompers might come in at any second and force Luciano and Bugsy to give up their search. And when they could smell Kale's natural scent again, it too vanished, causing them to start all over a _second_ time (unbeknown to the wolves that the tomato and then soap bath Kale received had gotten rid of the skunk smell and his natural scent respectively). Luciano and Bugsy were so fed up that they wanted to call it quits, but after remembering their parents' motto, they persevered and blindly searched for hours. The next big setback occurred when they got to where the fox traps were and could neither see Kale in sight nor pick up his new scent, meaning he could be _anywhere_ in the great expanse of forest. Luciano and Bugsy had reacquired Kale's scent just 20 minutes ago, and now they have arrived at the area where the smell is the strongest.

Bottom line, as a result of the hardships they have been through, the two older wolves are ready to unleash a typhoon of frustration and anger, ready to stick it _hard_ to whoever is responsible for taking Kale away. First, they have to find their little brother even if it requires them putting family above retribution. Luciano and Bugsy can tell that Kale is in the area, they just can't find where he is. But they have come too far and have endured too many setbacks to go back empty-pawed now. After some quick surveying, each wolf confines Kale's scent to the log and each starts tearing through the food barricade to reach the inside. As they're doing that, the bats in the tree tops above use the noise that the wolves generate to mask the flying mammals' own soft voices as they speak.

 **Claire:** "We need to warn the others."

 **Celine:** "No, that's a bad idea."

 **Simon:** "What makes you say that, dearie?"

 **Celine:** "The wolves don't know we see them, let's keep it that way. If we panic, the others might fall from the trees and get attacked."

The other four go "Oh," in grim realization.

 **Simon:** "Well, I guess all we can do is listen closely."

The others nod and get back to listening just as Bugsy says, "Dare he is!"

He and his older brother remove the last packages away and see that Kale is sleeping like a pup. They also get a good look at the casts around his hind legs, creating more questions than answers. Bugsy and Luciano wonder how Kale put those on, and why he is staying in an area where prey animals dwell?

 **Luciano thinking:** " _Save dose questions for later, get him back home now._ " (Out loud) "Let's wake 'im up."

 **Bugsy:** "No, he probably needs the rest."

 **Luciano:** "Then how do we get 'im back home? His legs're still broken, and we'd have ta use our teeth to throw 'im over one of our backs, so waking 'im up is dee only choice."

 **Bugsy:** "There ain't no way prey critters could carry him back here on their own, they must'uv used somthin' ta transport him. So let's find it."

At the behest of his brother's words, Luciano knows that, although he and Bugsy have to hurry back home before the Bone-Chompers come looking for them, he also needs to keep his youngest brother's well-being in mind.

 **Luciano:** "Five minutes'a searchin'. We put him over my back and leave if it takes us longer than dat."

 **Bugsy:** "Fair 'nough."

When the two wolves stick their heads back outside the log, Bugsy is reminded of the Pad area and the other stuff that's nearby the log.

 **Bugsy** (while motioning his head at the log) **:** "I'll check here," (while motioning his head at the Pad) "You check over there."

 **Luciano** (nods) **:** "Right."

Shortly after the two wolves start searching around, they feel a little admiration for all of the items that the prey animals have stolen, and at their resourcefulness. A refrigerator, HD TV, and two video game consoles are wired to extension cords leeching power off of some poor human sap's house; there is also iPods, cell phones, a boom box, handheld dry erase board, digital camera, human baby car booster seat, countless other nick knacks, and food too numerous to count. Then, Bugsy whistles to make Luciano come back toward the log where he has found an off-road skateboard.

 **Luciano:** "Way'da go, brohan."

 **Bugsy:** "How 'bout I go to da opposite end of the log and push 'im out, while you stay here and pull 'im out?"

 **Luciano:** "Sounds good ta me."

As Luciano and Bugsy tenderly and carefully move the unconscious Kale out of the log and put him on the skateboard, the two show a rare side of wolves almost never seen by any creature, including wolves themselves: true, genuine, unconditional love. In those few minutes, Luciano and Bugsy become a real family with Kale again, not fearsome wolves. Sadly, the only creatures who are around this unfolding spectacle are blind bats, but they are simply thankful that the wolves' uninvited visit has left their family's home unscathed.

With Kale ready for travel, Luciano says, "Perfect. It'll suit us until we's get to da widow maker tree, which is when we'll have ta put 'im on my back."

Luciano raises an eyebrow when, one, Bugsy remains silent; two, the brother gives a disappointed nod in affirmation; and three, his expression looks like he's struggling to hold something inside of himself.

 **Luciano:** "What's wrong?"

 **Bugsy:** "...I'm just too sorry we didn't run inta the critters that're responsible for takin' our brother from where we left 'im..."

As the bats above let out a sigh of relief, Luciano nods at Bugsy and feels the resurgence of hatred for all he and his brother had to go through to reach Kale, and what the two will have to go through when they return to their pack with him. After a few moments of thinking, a lightning bug flashes above Luciano's head—causing the annoyed wolf to snatch the insect in his jaws, chew, and spit out the remains, all in two seconds. In the bug's place is an evil twinkle of amusement that sparkles in Luciano's eyes.

 **Luciano:** "Hey, I know what us two can do."

He uses his pointer finger to beckon Bugsy over to his ear where he whispers his plan.

 **Bugsy** (smiling) **:** "Oh-ho, yeeeaah. Totally, hermano."

Having heard what Luciano whispered, the eavesdropping bats gulp and quietly say, "Oh no..." in unison.

The two brothers, eager to let loose the anger they have accumulated from today's frustrations—and to let loose the foul feelings like the wolves they are—head over to the Pad where they smash, tear, and break everything in it. Having transitioned from a caring family back into wolves once more, they are completely unconcerned if the noise wakes up Kale. Indeed, Luciano and Bugsy make as much racket as they can in hopes that it will wake up the prey animals so they would show themselves and let the two wolves ravage them. That thought also enters the bats' minds, and they fly over to the huddles of family members in the trees to ensure that, if the others wake up, they will do so gently. The bats also intend to talk anyone out of stopping the wolves. Surprisingly, no one wakes up, but the bats don't let their guard down until the wolves finish, whenever that will be. The wolves don't just stop with the Pad, but also go back to the log where they tear into the food packages inside and outside of the refrigerator, the latter of which they empty and pull out the shelves. They don't even bother eating any of the food or drinks, and just make a big mess of everything.

Having grown much stronger and deadlier since the day they got revenge on the cougar that killed their parents, the entire process of destroying the Pad and log areas takes Luciano and Bugsy only five minutes. Feeling a lot better, they head back over to get behind the still-sleeping Kale in order to push him, but turn back around to take a few moments to bask in the glory of their work. They are very satisfied in how the destruction will serve as a sign of warning to never mess with the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack, especially Bone-Chompers Luciano and Bugsy. The wolves' wrath alone should keep the prey animals living in fear, and maybe the time will present itself in the future for the brothers to actually attack the prey animals.

But for now, they need to get Kale back home, and to think of how they will explain things to the other Bone-Chompers when they arrive there. Similarly, the bat family has to mull over about how they will break the news of the loss of all the hedgies' food and stolen items to the sleeping family of animals.

Once again, a connection between predator and prey has been made, even if neither is aware of it.

* * *

Seven minutes later, the strange feeling of being in motion causes Kale to exit his deep sleep. He stirs as he tries to go back into slumber, because he doesn't feel well-rested unless he is deep sleep instead of just closing his eyes. But the more he tries, the more his body shakes and slumps up and down in an unpredictable pattern. He should get his mind back into a blank slate, but cannot once he begins to mentally question how he is able to move without his hind legs—or using any of his legs at all. The predicament demands an answer, so he opens his eyes to find it.

He sees the forest floor in front of him, looks down to discover that he is on an off-road skateboard, and then turns around to discover whatever is pressing against his rear. He uses his peripheral vison while turning his head around, and can't believe the sight he sees!

 **Kale:** "Luciano?! Bugsy?!"

The older wolves immediately stop pushing and address Kale with bright smiles and energetic voices.

 **Luciano:** "Hey there, Track!"

 **Bugsy:** "Deep sleeper like always, dat's our bro!"

Kale immediately takes a stern dislike at how his brothers are talking as if nothing bad has happened to him, and as though he has already forgiven them for leaving him.

 **Kale** (cross tone) **:** "What're ya's doin'?"

 **Luciano:** "Wha'does'it look like? We's takin' ya home."

 **Bugsy:** "First off, you owe's us big for comin' ta look for ya without da pack's permission. Not ta mention all the heck we had ta go through ta find ya."

 **Luciano:** "It took us from early-morning yesterday until 30 minutes ago ta do that."

If anything, their efforts to make Kale empathize with them only hardens his ill feelings.

 **Kale:** "You's two...Expect me...Ta owe you's...A _debt_... _of_... _ **thanks?!**_ " (Screaming) "You're part'a da reason I'm in dis mess ta begin with! If anyone owes somethin', you's two owe **me**!"

Luciano's and Bugsy's brows furrow as they suddenly realize that they had been so busy searching for Kale, worrying about the Bone-Chompers' reactions, and getting revenge on the prey animals, that the two have forgotten to think over how they would explain their actions to Kale. Because they haven't got a good elaboration on hand, they just say the first things that come to their minds.

 **Luciano:** "You're right, bro. We's sorry for leavin' ya when you wanted us ta help out."

It's clear that they intend to win Kale back over, but Kale's surprisingly well-thought rebukes, fueled from his strong emotions, makes it hard for them to do that.

 **Kale:** "I didn't _want_ ya's help, I _needed_ ya's help! Why'd ya do it?! Why'd ya's not help me?"

 **Bugsy:** "We was followin' Godfather Leo's orders—"

 **Kale:** "You said you wished dat I had died from the cougar," (To Luciano) "and you said I disgraced da family name before Leo order you's ta leave me! Explain dat!"

 **Luciano:** "W-we...We were bein' stupid, and, uh, thinkin' about our pack instead of family. At the time, Bugsy and I could only think about dee embarrassment that would befall our pack from da failed hunt, and about how you's hurt Gabby."

 **Bugsy:** "B-but ever since we's woke up, we now know dat we shouldn't have done that, and...we's promise ta never leave ya again, even if Leo asks us to."

For the first time since waking up, Kale pauses to think about what his brothers have said to him. They think it's because he's realizing how sorry they are, and how he had been a little too harsh to judge them callously for their, admittedly, half-hearted efforts. However, the real reason is because Kale needs time to think about a heart-shattering comeback. What's worse for the brothers is that their stuttering and pauses only seem to prove to Kale how they aren't doing this out of the good of their hearts, making him more accusing and angry at them when he speaks.

 **Kale:** "I know why you's really doin' this. It's not 'cuz ya truly care about me, it's ta make yourselves feel betta!"

 **Luciano:** "Dat's a lie!"

 **Bugsy:** "You know dat ain't true!"

 **Kale:** "Then how come da first thing you said ta me was dat I owed you's?! If you were serious about makin' amends with me, you's two should'a said you were sorry for leavin' me first!"

Seeing how Kale turned his own words against him, Bugsy winces as if he just took a punch to the nose. Luciano talks the same way as Bugsy would, his desperation to earn Kale's trust again forcing him to do something that comes more naturally: make up excuses.

 **Luciano:** "We couldn't defy Godfather Leo's order, he and dee others would'a—"

 **Kale:** "Now _**dat's**_ a lie! You's could've disobeyed 'im, but you just chose not to. Just like ya's disobeyed him by coming back for me! If you could do it now, why not before? Why did ya's _really_ come back for me, huh?"

Thankfully, Kale has unintentionally provided his brothers with the perfect situation for them to use the best argument in their arsenal.

 **Luciano:** "Believe it or not, Bugsy and me had da same dream about you's birth and we remembered our family motto of never turnin' our back on ya."

 **Bugsy:** "We realized dat we still gotta love each oth'a as a family even if we's part'a da strictest wolf pack ever."

 **Luciano:** "We should'a figured it out sooner, but our pride as Bone-Chompers made us say dose terrible things about ya."

 **Kale:** "Those words'a yours _broke my heart_..."

 **Bugsy:** "We know...And for da hundredth time, we's both sorry."

 **Kale:** "You's haven't even said you's were sorry ten times yet...And nothin' you's two say is ever gonna make me feel betta, at least now right now. Heck, we's like five minutes inta our conversation, and neither of ya's have asked what you can do for me!"

Luciano and Bugsy look at each other as it finally dawns on them that Kale is right about everything he just said. Predator's pride, and the commitment to be most dangerous wolf pack in the country, has robbed them of their familial bond. Ever since the cougar murdered Eddie and Sharnese, the brothers have put the needs of the Bone-Chompers over Kale's needs. Since then, Luciano and Bugsy never asked Kale what he wanted to do with his life, what he wondered about being a Bone-Chomper, or what he thought about all the treatment he received from themselves and the rest of the pack. Kale may be only 15, and therefore not mature enough to make wise decisions about his own well-being, but for the first time since their parents died, Luciano and Bugsy decide to indulge Kale, to give him what he wants. Otherwise, they may lose him forever.

 **Luciano:** "What can we do for ya, Kale?"

 **Bugsy:** "Just say anything, Kale, and we'll listen to ya."

For the first time during the conversation, Kale appreciates what his older brothers have said. They not only called him by his name—out of their own will instead of Kale reminding him to do that—but their willingness to let Kale make the call reinforces that they truly care about his well-being for a change, instead of predator pride.

That's what makes Kale's words all the more baffling.

 **Kale:** "Take me back to da log and leave me."

 _What?_ The older siblings think there's a tick in their ears, because out of all the things they expected Kale to demand, the last thing they thought he would want is for them to leave him at the prey animals' dwelling. They were expecting something along the lines of demanding the Bone-Chompers to let him back into the pack (and ditching them if they refused), calling him Kale instead of Track forever, and treating him like a prince instead of the runt. Furthermore, Bugsy and Luciano find it most ungrateful and selfish of Kale to order them to leave him in spite of all they have done to get him back, and what they have done for him in the past. That's why their natural tendency to manipulate others, like their human gangster namesakes, prevents them from verbally lashing out in anger, and causes them to try to make Kale feel guilty about his bizarre choice.

 **Luciano:** "We know you's angrier at us than at any point in ya's life, and we deserve your hate, but we gotta go home where prey animals won't be able ta harass ya."

 **Kale thinking:** " _At least prey animals won't call me 'Track' to tease me._ "

As if Bugsy could read his mind, the older wolf does exactly what Kale does not want him to do.

 **Bugsy:** "You're our bro, Track, and we love ya. We's very sorry for breakin' our parents' vow, but we're gonna treat ya like our true brother from now on, no matter what happens. We can't do that if you's not with us, so you have ta come home."

Kale's eyes narrow and his face sharpens into a look of disgust at Bugsy's calling him "Track." What makes it different this time is the nonchalance in Bugsy's tone; he is saying it not as an insult but as if it is Kale's true name—and that Kale is okay with it.

 **Kale:** "If you's two really wanted ta treat me like ya's brother, you should'a defied Leo's orders and helped me out of da traps."

 **Bugsy** (trying to win Kale back over) **:** "Look Track—"

 **Kale:** "AND STOP CALLIN' ME THAT! IT'S _KALE_. K-A-L-E, KALE!"

 **Bugsy:** "Okay, _Kale_. Don't forget our parents' motto: 'Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments...' "

 **Luciano:** "So you can't reject us, it'd disappoint ma and dad."

 **Kale:** "I wasn't da first one ta break their motto. I begged for ya's ta come back, I tried to make ya's two stick with me and uphold our parents' vow. You's two betrayed them and me when ya refused to help me out. Now leave! I'll come back to ya's once I've healed up."

 **Luciano:** "You don't want us ta take care of ya?"

 **Kale:** "Do you know how ta mend broken bones?"

 **Luciano** (sighs) **:** "No..."

 **Kale:** "Well, deese critters do, so I gotta stay with 'em for a while."

 **Bugsy:** "But you's leg're already in casts—Hold on'a sec, deese prey animals are helpin' you?"

Although Kale responds after taking a breath, he does some major thinking about what his brother is getting at. At first Kale is worried because he can't let his brothers know that he had pleaded with the prey to help him, and can't let them know that he agreed to let them fix him up and to look after him until he gets all better. He will get banished from the Bone-Chomper Pack, maybe even banished from all wolf society, if he tells the truth. He is suddenly facing a certain important issue that he had hoped he could wait to worry about it when the time came at a much later point, but has to think of a way to deal with it now. The issue is that, even when he does completely heal from his injuries, he will have a tough time being accepted back into the Bone-Chomper Pack. Thankfully, his keen wolf intellect and manipulation skills thinks up of a quick lie to say that will ensure his return to the pack will be welcomed instead of loathed.

 **Kale:** "No, bro, I'm _usin'_ them. You's two should'a seen it. They heard me screamin' and came around to gloat at my pain, especially since three of 'em were da raccoon-possum hybrid, turtle, and raccoon from my hunt. They all stood there throwing sticks and pebbles at me, laughin' and sayin' 'Look who's helpless now! Mr. Big-Bad Wolf is a 'lil harmless dog! You's aren't so scary without ya legs! You'll never get free of da traps, _Godfather_ -wannabe! You belong in a zoo, legless freak! You stink-breath, annoying moon-howler! What's da matter, not so tough without a pack ta back you up? You're not predator, you're just a bully!' "

Kale knows that if he makes up his own insults about himself, that it will better convince his brothers that he isn't kidding. And it works. Bugsy and Luciano gasp, growl, and snarl at each insult Kale claims the prey called him. Each wolf is actively engaged in the tale, and is visibly eager to hear how Kale pulled a 180.

 **Kale:** "I gave an Oscar-worthy performance; lowerin' my head and wincing whenever they insulted me. I told 'em ta go away and let me be, then started whimperin' ta make 'em confident enough ta step forward and take turns hittin' me. A raccoon was their leader, the same raccoon who bred with'a possum to create the hybrid—"

Bugsy goes "Eww!" while Luciano retches, but Kale doesn't stop.

 **Kale:** "—And he came up first. Dat's when I grabbed him with my forelegs, and wrapped my teeth around the top'a his head. Most of 'em panicked, but before a few could get over ta my legs to hurt me more, I threatened ta eat the coon if they tried dat. They stammered out apologies for all da things dey said ta me, just like da weakling cowards they were; the kind'a guys that talk big but can't actually do anythin'. They begged me ta let him go and said they'd do anything for me as long as I didn't harm 'im. The coon blurted out that he knew how ta fix broken bones, and had dee equipment for the job. So I first had him make his freak-daughter come up, held her hostage so he could do his job, and said I'd eat her if they all didn't free 'n fix me up. That ultimatum is still in effect, and I've been forcin' 'em ta take care of me until I feel all betta."

At first, the blank looks that Luciano and Bugsy give Kale when he finishes make him think his brothers catch on to his lie. But it turns out that they are just staring in shock and awe, as indicated by the next remark.

 **Luciano** (voice starts out devoid of emotion but becomes more expressively happy with each word) **:** "Dat...is...the most...dirty, unda'handed, deceitful, manipulative, low-down, and most _**spectacular**_ blackmailin' I've ever heard!"

Luciano is screaming the last five words, and proceeds to let out a brief howl and wrap his forelegs around Kale in a manly congratulatory hug.

 **Bugsy:** "Outstanding, Tra—er, Kale! Out-freakin'-standing! Our 'lil bro is growin' up!"

 **Kale** (sly) **:** "Hey, I had some great role models."

The wink Kale gives Bugsy make him join Luciano in hugging Kale. _Of course_ he would learn how to deceive and blackmail other animals from his two older brothers, it is Luciano's and Bugsy's specialty!

 **Bugsy** (giving Kale a light noogie) **:** "Aw, you's just sayin' dat!"

 **Kale:** "No way, I mean it, all of it!"

 **Luciano:** "Wait until we tell the rest'a da pack, they'll want ya back faster dan a peregrine falcon's divin' speed!"

 **Note** **: With a diving speed of 242 mph, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth.**

 **Kale:** "I haven't even told ya's da best part."

Luciano and Bugsy let go of Kale and look at him, all ears.

 **Kale:** "They don't know dat I'm still gonna eat 'em when I'm all better, when they least expect it."

 **Luciano:** "I don't care what we and everyone else has said to ya in da past, you's a true wolf when it comes ta suckering prey critters!"

 **Bugsy:** "We are _so_ takin' ya back ta dare log now!"

 **Luciano:** "But just so we's clear, you may have proven yaself ta us two, but you's haven't proven yaself to da pack yet."

 **Bugsy:** "Ta do that, you's gotta keep trickin' and then backstab the prey on you's own, without our help."

 **Kale:** " 'Course I know that. And I's ready, willing, and in no more than three months, I'll be able."

 **Bugsy:** "Dat's the spirit. Now let's take ya back."

As soon as the brothers turn the off-road skateboard around, Luciano remembers something.

 **Luciano:** "Oh, we almost forgot ta tell ya that Bugsy and I destroyed all of da critters' food and stolen items."

 **Kale:** "I'll think'a some way ta shift blame to somethin' else."

 **Bugsy:** "No, Kale, you's gotta tell 'em da truth that it was us. Let 'em know the Bone-Chompers could always come back for revenge."

Kale mentally makes the connection in his mind and says, "Yeah, that'll make 'em heal me faster."

 **Luciano:** "Ironic...Da failed hunt and traps have made ya a betta wolf. Keep up da good work, Kale."

 **Kale:** "I won't let ya's down."

 **Luciano:** "And we won't let you's down, ever again."

With that, the wolves make the return trip to the log without anymore words. As before, the three predators don't know about the bat family listening in as Kale comes back. To Simon and his family, the departure of Kale is strange enough, but the return of the teenage wolf is stranger, as is his brothers leaving him. Even though their sight organs are useless, the bats reflexively rub their eyes as if to double check they are seeing things clearly. But they figure that all of their questions will be answered as soon as the rest of their hedge family wakes up.

* * *

It took a while for Kale to get sleepy again, as the exchange with his brothers makes his mind race. The first rays of the morning sun are starting to shine outside, and because the majority of the prey animals are nocturnal, Kale expects them to sleep in late as well. His chance of catching up on some lost sleep are immediately over when a loud and shrill "AHHHH!" pierces the air. It's followed by a "What're you yelling abou—AHHH!", then a whole chorus of "Ah's!" that lasts for 20 seconds. Not even covering his ears stops the noise, and Kale grits his teeth in frustration.

 **Rick's voice:** "Not the Pad!"

 **Bucky's voice:** "The TV is dead!"

 **Quillo's voice:** "And the Xbox 360!"

 **Spike's voice:** "And the Nintendo Wii!"

 **Emily, Rachel, and Emma in unison:** "The boom box!"

 **Verne's voice:** "All of the food is torn to ribbons!"

 **Rick's voice:** "The refrigerator's been trashed too!"

 **RJ's voice:** "What happened?! Who did this?!"

 **Rogan's voice:** "The wolf! I told you we shouldn't have brought him back!"

 **Ozzie's voice:** "How did he do all of this without his hind legs?"

 **Sarah's voice:** "Because he's a crafty, slippery, no-goodnik who found a way. They _always_ find a way!"

 **Lou's voice:** "That does it! He's gonna get it now!"

 **Roger's voice:** "Let's get him!"

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Yeah! It's been too long since I've used my stink!"

Kale hears countless paws scrape against bark as the forest family climbs down from the trees outside the log. Knowing that he's in trouble, Kale reflexively tries to set the record straight.

 **Kale:** "It wasn't me! Lemme explain."

 **Hammy's voice:** "Liar, liar, fur on fire!"

Hammy did not sing his words as one would normally do when using those lyrics, which means Kale is in a _heap_ of trouble. He should have known that they're not going to listen to reason—least of all, his—after seeing the damage his brothers have done. He won't be able to properly defend himself from their attacks either, so all he can do is prepare for a beating...and hope for a miracle.

When Lou locks eyes with him, the porcupine shows an angry side of himself he hasn't shown in ages. Of someone who doesn't just want to hit Kale repeatedly, but to beat him within an inch of his life.

 **Lou** (talking through clenched teeth and with a snarl) **:** "There you are, you punk!"

Just as Kale growls and starts to bare his teeth, his miracle comes in the form of Celine's voice from above.

 **Celine's voice:** "Wai—*yawn*—ait! It wasn't the wolf!"

 **Claire's voice:** "At least not our wolf."

Kale sees and hears the other hedgies collectively turn their heads up to look at the bats in the trees while they say "Huh?", and Kale is among them. He also doesn't know whether to feel thankful or embarrassed that prey animals had to stick up for him, but decides he should primarily feel confused as to how the bats knew what had happened last night. The animals wait patiently for the bat family to fly down and get on the ground level. In the time it takes them to do that, Kale reckons that the bats must have been awake—" _They_ are _the most nocturnal animals around,_ " he muses—and had seen, er, _heard_ all that happened. He gets out of his thoughts and refocuses on reality just as Simon and his mate and daughters walk over to the log's entrance/exit and get between the terrestrial animals and Kale.

 **Simon:** "Last night when all of you were asleep, this boy's two older brothers came by looking for him."

 **Marilyn:** "Just when they put him on the skateboard to take him away, they decided to 'Teach us a lesson' by destroying all of our stuff."

 **Christine:** "And they enjoyed every second of it."

Everyone relaxes and is no longer in the mood to attack Kale. The wolf thinks it's risky given how bad they all must feel about all of their stuff being destroyed, but he still has a promise to keep, and speaks up.

 **Kale:** "I'll tell ya why they really did it. It was because they wanted all of ya ta live in fear at how the Bone-Chomper Pack could come back for ya at any time."

 **Rebecca:** "How do you know this?"

 **Kale:** "Because they told me. And I was still out like'a light when they destroyed everythin', so I couldn't make 'em stop."

 **Stella:** "Don't you mean you _wouldn't_ make them stop?"

Kale gives her a sharp glance, but his eyes quickly fall on the next speaker.

 **Celine:** "He's telling the truth...About being asleep through the whole thing. All you slept through it too."

 **Ozzie:** "Why didn't you wake us up?"

 **Celine:** "Because we didn't want any of you to risk falling out of the trees from surprise...Not to mention a few of you might have tried to stop them."

 **Christine:** "And that's the last thing you would wanna do. Those other two wolves meant business."

 **RJ:** "Wait a second," (Walks over so that he's facing Kale) "You said that your pack deserted you on purpose. Why did they come back?"

All eyes and heads turn toward Kale as everyone is curious for the explanation.

 **Kale:** "Dey remembered that I was their family, not just a wolf pack member. Dat's all you's need ta know."

 **Simon:** "And why did you tell them to bring you back to us instead of letting them take you back to your pack?"

Now everyone looks at Kale in surprise. Not shock, not bewilderment, just surprise. Kale isn't any different from them, because he is also flustered at what the bat's questions means.

 **Kale** (vexed) **:** "I now see why they say bats're just rats with wings. You're more nosey than an elephant to've followed me and my bros last night ta eavesdrop on us—!"

Celine crosses her arms and leans forward—mistakenly to the solid wood of the log's interior—and says in an equally fed-up tone, "For your information, we didn't follow you or your brothers. We just heard them take you away, and heard them bring you back."

Kale's eyes widen and he's embarrassed at how everyone looks at him like he's the jerk...and they're right. He sees that no matter who he is next to, he has to learn to keep his wolf-ego in check, or else it'll get him into trouble.

 **Kale:** "Okay, my bad...But dey brought me back 'cuz I told 'em to."

Everyone's eyes open wide and a few murmur to each other, all wondering why. Expecting this, Kale continues, "I didn't wanna rejoin my pack 'cuz they'd just kick me out again...Maybe even hurt or kill me. So I need some more time away from them ta clear my head, and ta recover from my injuries...And I'm sorry about what my brothers did...I _really_ am. Ta tell ya the truth, I would'a tried to stop them if I was awake."

Because Kale rarely said any "wolf-accent words" his formality wins over the hedgies, most of all their original leader who speaks for them all.

 **Verne:** "You're not the one who did this, so you don't have to apologize."

Kale raises an eyebrow at how quickly he has been forgiven. He expected there to be more blame and anger, and a demand to make reparations. But this family of prey animals had demonstrated unconditional forgiveness...very different from what he's used to being treated when something bad happens to his pack because of his ipso facto actions. The mammalian co-leader notices this more than anyone else, because he had gone through the exact same thing with this group of animals. That's what makes him think of a way to get some alone time with the guest, in the disguise of boosting everyone's morale.

 **RJ thinking:** " _It's a good thing I had my bag up in the trees with us._ " (Out loud) "Okay folks, we've got a busy week ahead. We're gonna have to go on many heists to replace all of the things that are destroyed. But before that, I need our scouts to get the map of the suburbs and circle which houses have the best things. We're not just gonna get the exact same stuff, we're gonna get better stuff!"

Everyone gets fired up at this, and can't contain their excitement.

 **Spike:** "Sweet! We can get a _bigger_ TV!"

 **Rachel:** "And Xbox One _X_!"

 **Quillo:** "A Nintendo _Switch_!"

 **Roger:** "A boom box with an _iPod_ jack!"

 **Bernard:** "An _NFL-approved_ football!"

 **De'Ausha:** "An _autographed_ baseball!"

Stella smiles at her Tomboy daughter, muses, " _Like mother like daughter,_ " and decides to begrudgingly stop the oral list from continuing for the time being.

 **Stella:** "Cut the brainstormin' and let's see which houses'll have that stuff waitin' for us!"

Everyone but RJ and Verne leave away fast, the latter knowing that the former had to have made the suggestion for a special reason. But when Verne sees the look of RJ's eyes when the raccoon gazes at him, the turtle nods and hurries away to catch up with the others, leaving RJ alone with the wolf.

 **RJ:** "You wanna know the reason my family is so quick to let what your brothers did to all our stuff slide so easily?"

Kale remains silent, too stunned by the raccoon's choice of words and his decision to be left alone _with a wolf_. Unintentionally finding himself doing something that Dillinger would do, his raised eyebrow asks RJ to answer.

 **RJ:** "Because we still have each other. None of the things we've stolen from humans can ever take the place of the love we have for even one family member. We're not going to forget the hassle your brothers have caused us, but we won't hold it against you either. If you're gonna be living with us for a while, you need to start learning how we treat each other. Maybe then you won't be as confused, or as impolite, as a result. After all, it's natural to condemn what we don't understand. And speaking of which, the kids and even adults are gonna pester you with a lot of questions to quench their curiosity; it's not a matter of _if_ , it's a matter of _when_. I mean, you _are_ the first true predator who we can all actually talk to, so you need to be prepared to answer, and to answer in a positive tone."

 **Kale thinking:** "Ugggggggghhhhh _! He's right...They'll never stop askin' stupid questions—_

" _Hold onna second...Gah. There he goes again, helpin' me. Assistance from a prey animal...I may never be able ta rejoin my pack at dis rate._ "

Kale rolls his eyes and contemplates how he only lied to his brothers about his plan to eat the prey animals, but is now considering actually doing it to prove his worth to himself. First, he needs to speak tough.

 **Kale** (in ridiculing rhetoric) **:** "What are ya, a licensed counselor? I don't need ya therapy or you's head's-up—"

His words and mind are then interrupted when next thing catches Kale's full attention.

 **RJ:** "Your parents are dead, aren't they?"

Kale honestly believes he is speaking with a psychic, a genuine mind-reader. Being a smart wolf, he immediately decides not to rely on his own superstitions and to ask the only logical thing for clarity, and out of reflex.

 **Kale:** "How d'ya know?"

 **RJ:** "Right after Penny called you out for cussing, I noticed it deep inside of your eyes. I know because, the same look was in my eyes for many, _many_ years."

Kale recalls the words of RJ and his parents on the night he met them, how RJ had to be abandoned for his protection. Although Kale never heard how bad that life must have been for RJ, he figures it was probably worse than his own life because even the wolf had his parents, siblings, and godpack to look after him. But because anger is more natural to him than pity, he says something most uncalled for.

 **Kale:** "Well, all raccoons are loners, so don't act like you's're special, ya whiny crybaby."

RJ frowns and grips his paws into fists, but keeps his anger in check when he thinks of the perfect response that will ensure no more snide remarks from the wolf...at least for the duration of their conversation, he hopes. To make that sweet outcome all the more likely, the raccoon's tone is like that of a teacher explaining a definition to a classroom.

 **RJ:** "Raccoons 101: it's a misconception that we're solitary, we're actually social animals. I was the exception, not the norm." (Back to his usual cool and laid-back voice tone) "But hey, we're already learning more about each other, so we're making progress after all, and I have you to thank."

Kale sighs while rolling his eyes in how his efforts to make the raccoon leave out of annoyance has backfired, making the wolf all the more annoyed. He still plans to get RJ to leave him alone, but has to keep in mind that this raccoon is good... _very_ good. Then, RJ does the thing he had warned Kale about: ask a random question.

 **RJ** (seriously) **:** "Did you and your parents love each other?"

 **Kale:** "What kinda question is that?"

 **RJ:** "The wolves who chased my parents for 16 years were a family, but all they cared about was revenge. None of them even shed a tear when their family members died, except when one of the remaining two was gravely injured and only had a few minutes to live. And when the wolf, Wrong-Way Cammie did die, her mate Shark-Bite Silver Fang went back to vowing vengeance against my parents, which got himself killed when he ran after them through oncoming traffic. What I'm saying is, if the reason for your anger is a lack of love, then it would make perfect sense, because I was an angry kid from having no one to tell me that they loved me."

 **Kale:** "Get bent, eye-masked robber! I loved my ma and dad _a lot_ , and they loved me back—gave me love when everyone else was pushin' me too hard ta be tough—so shut up! If you wanna get me inna betta mood, you can start by stop trying ta find a connection between the two of us. In fact, better yet, don't even _think_ about sayin' you know's how I feel, 'cuz you _don't_."

As RJ speaks, he puts up his paws in defense and to gesture the wolf to calm down, and talks in a serious tone while looking into Kale's eyes; all of it showing that he is not angry, but sympathetic for the wolf.

 **RJ:** "We both know that. My parents came back, but I _do_ know what it's like to feel all alone and helpless, like everything in the world is trying to be your enemy. That's why you're acting so rude, you think everyone is out to get you because you're a predator and that you have to defend your honor."

Only after RJ has finished speaking does Kale think about the words he chose in retaliation to the raccoon's theory of the root of the wolf's anger—and finds himself wishing yet again that he could turn back time. In his rage, he let his deepest secret slip out, that he preferred a life of love over being a tough predator. In retrospect, Kale expected that RJ, being the crafty raccoon that he has demonstrated himself to be, wouldn't hesitate to use that knowledge against the wolf, both in the short run (RJ's response) and the long run of spilling the beans of the wolf's secret to the other animals. But as the deeper meaning of RJ's words make their way into Kale's mind, the predator is astonished that a prey animal refrained from using the wolf's secret as a weapon against him...And Kale finds himself seriously wondering if the raccoon is psychic again when RJ speaks.

 **RJ:** "Don't worry, I promise not to tell anyone. The only way others will know is if you tell them, not me."

Kale is at a loss for smack-talk words, knowing that this raccoon, whoever he is and whatever he's been through in life, knows about his life as if he was wolf's shadow. His hostile words have proven useless, so he tries more friendly words.

 **Kale:** "Why're ya tellin' me dis? Why're ya bein' so nice ta me?"

 **RJ:** "So you can become more comfortable around a large group of 'prey animals.' Don't take this the wrong way, but wolves _do_ have big egos, and I know your pride would be hurt a lot if you're under the care of creatures you would rather eat than speak to. No predator wants to owe anything to prey, it's downright embarrassing. But you don't have to feel alone while you're with us, you have someone to talk to about any angsty things you've been carrying around inside of you for so long. And if anyone tries to poke fun of you, gets you overly annoyed, or blames you for something that you didn't do, tell me and I'll deal with them...Especially if it's from my own family."

Kale finds the answer sufficient, but not satisfactory. Even though he is blown away by—not to mention thankful for—the raccoon's generosity, he knows that there is a deeper reason why RJ is doing this. And that is what the wolf wants to find out. Under regular circumstances, Kale would ask what he is about to ask RJ as a way to stump the raccoon for a change, just as RJ has stumped him like a buffoon. But now, Kale is asking out of genuine curiosity and with the utmost sincerity, to quench his thirst for answers that have been bothering him ever since the turtle said the family of animals came to help him.

 **Kale:** "It isn't normal for prey animals ta be dis kind to a predator, especially when I've been doin' all I can ta make you rage-quit on me. It's even stranger when you went outta you's way ta convince dee others ta help me two days ago. You're not dee only one who can get inta my head, you's hidin' somthin' ya'self..." (Looks deep into RJ's blue eyes) "Why're ya _really_ doin' dis, RJ? Why did'ja really wanna help me, after all your parents said about me and my species? Dey honestly weren't that far from the truth. I would consider dare account of the evil of wolves an exaggeration instead of a lie or range-rant."

As expected, RJ looks up in thought as he has a hard time forming an answer. It's challenging enough to think of his ulterior motives behind what he has said today, but he didn't expect Kale to harken back to his decision on the night they first met, so he needs to look deep within himself to discover the truth of his reasoning and actions.

 **RJ** (looking down with his fingers on his chin in thought) **:** "Because...Because..."

Just as RJ figures out by now that the reasons for his talk today will be the same as his reasons from two days ago, he realizes that they go back even further to something that has been a part of his life for a long time. It's not from happy memories, but from bad memories; not what makes him a good person in the present, but what made him a bad person in his past. It's in redemption of something he has faced for many years. That's when he finds the reason and shares it aloud to himself as much as he is to Kale.

 **RJ** (looking at Kale) **:** "Because I _do_ know how you feel, at least about one thing that you're trying to hide from not only others, but also yourself."

 **Kale:** "What's that?"

RJ looks to make sure no one else is around, walks within inches of Kale—failing to see the danger of his continued proximity to a wolf all alone—and locks eyes with the wolf, staring deep into the grape eyes.

 **RJ:** "When my daughter and her cousins were leading all of us to you on the night we met, I overheard you crying and screaming about your pack abandoning you...You even asked out loud why your mom and dad left you and your brothers so soon. And until we had our talk today, I thought your parents were part of your pack who left you behind."

 **Kale thinking:** " _Dang it...I was in so much pain when my pack left me that I can't even remember what random things came out of my mouth._ " He sighs in embarrassment and says out loud, "Yeah...I was bein' weak, but didn't care who heard me at the time."

 **RJ:** "Why are you so ashamed to be ashamed? You weren't being weak, you were being a normal guy. But what I'm getting at is, you remember when my parents said they had to abandon me when I was two?"

Kale nods.

 **RJ:** "From that moment on, until I was 23-years-old, once every week, I would find a private place to cry and curse my parents for leaving me all alone...like you did. You feel absolutely lonely, like there's no one to understand what you're going through. There was no one ever around to give me support. Well, Luby tried when I was her boyfriend, but I shoved her away—just like you tried to do to us when we helped you. I guess you can say that I found a connection with you from the onset. And my memory of how all the crying and hateful words only made things worse for me back then, has made me want to help anyone else going through that pain, because I know how much it hurts. It's worse than any physical injury and can drive someone into madness, even suicide..."

RJ gets so close to Kale that their eyes are separated my mere centimeters, the proximity actually unnerving the wolf in spite of the knowledge that he could easily eat the raccoon. But thoughts of revenge for the humiliation of being taken care of by prey animals has completely left his mind, and all Kale wants to know is what RJ has to say next.

 **RJ:** "Like it did to me...That's _my_ deepest secret for you to know, just so you feel that we're even. I stopped myself from killing myself physically, but not from killing myself on the inside. The good news is that I was reborn for the better. I came close though, to killing myself for real, so if there's even the slimmest of chances that I can stop someone else from being more successful than I was at suicide, then I'll try my hardest."

Kale finds himself feeling something he never thought he would feel before: genuine kindred with a prey animal. He can tell RJ isn't lying or trying to make Kale change allegiances, just talking to him about some serious life-lessons.

 **Kale:** "That's...uh, deep, RJ."

 **RJ:** "I had deep troubles, believe me. But yours are deeper, I can tell."

 **Kale:** "What makes ya say that?"

 **RJ:** "I was abandoned by my parents overnight, while I was asleep. I just woke up and they weren't there. But I don't know what it's like for my parents to die, or to hear my loved ones abandon me...what it's like to try with all my heart to get them to stay, only for them to use all that to deny me even harder. Remember the bear, Vincent, that my parents mentioned?" (Continues after seeing Kale nod) "He hated everything, wanted to rule over everything, and destroy those who refused. He was the biggest cynic and sociopathic creature in the whole world, bar none. The reason he was like that was because his parents never loved him, they just hated him, and beat him nonstop. Not because he did anything to them, but just because he was their son."

 **Kale:** "And the point of dis story?"

 **RJ:** "Even Vincent's parents didn't leave him to fend for himself, at least they were still around to hate him and hit him. They would never leave him, which is why he planned to kill them—"

Kale gasps at the revelation, just as RJ had done when Vincent made the confession.

 **RJ:** "—Yeah, I know—but they were shot by human hunters instead. Despite all of that, they never abandoned him. You on the other hand, weren't overtly abused or hated by your pack, and weren't abandoned by them in your sleep. Worse, you were awake to hear them and plead with them not to leave you, and they turned their backs on you anyway."

 **Kale:** "I consider dat bear's life worse, but I get ya point."

 **RJ:** "Good."

Somewhere outside Heather calls, "RJ, honey? We're ready to hear what you think about our plans to raid houses for food!"

RJ runs to the log's entrance/exit, cups his paws to project his voice, and says, "Be right there, love."

RJ then runs back into the log and toward Kale, who oddly isn't thinking about insulting the raccoon for being the father of hybrid animals like he normally would after the dialogue he just heard. Perhaps Kale is becoming kinder already...

 **RJ:** "I gotta go, but I'll close by saying that I don't expect you to befriend anyone, just for you to _tolerate_ everyone. And I'll do my best to make sure they'll do the same for you, but it'll be a lot easier if you try to act nicer. That way, you can win the others over on your own, and I won't be the only one who has to fight on your behalf."

 **Kale:** "I guess I will try...for you, RJ. And thanks for dis talk, really. It's good ta know that at least _someone_ und'a'stands me."

RJ gives a toothless grin and nods in affirmation, but remains silent, which Kale believes is the best way to end it because nothing else has to be said. The two of them are finally on the same page, have reached a true understanding that Kale agrees to willingly rather than being forced upon by physical injuries.

RJ then walks into the open area and starts asking the others to share what they have come up with so far—all while not noticing that Rogan and Sarah have been sitting on top of the log, listening in on their son as he spoke with the wolf. The surge of the older raccoons' hearts, that have been moved by their son's honest words throughout the whole conversation, reach their peak now. At the same time, their hearts sink from the guilt of all the terrible things they said to Kale on the night they first met him. They lie back, wiping tears of joy and sorrow from their eyes. They are very appreciative at how fate has ordained that the others are too busy to notice the two's absence, and appreciative of the quiet atmosphere at their location. Kale is also thankful of the silence that he has had ever since RJ left, giving the wolf time to clear his head and relax.

However, the silence is over for the raccoons and the wolf when Kale's stomach growls, and it suddenly dawns on him that he had been so engrossed in his conversation with RJ that he forgot to eat breakfast. Because he also forgot to eat anything when his brothers woke him up, that means he hasn't eaten since the morning of his coming-of-age hunt. That's two days of going without breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He groans and grips his belly when more tummy rumbling passes through his body. Just before he can howl to get the attention of the group outside, he is surprised by Rogan and Sarah when they jump down from somewhere above the log's entrance/exit.

 **Sarah:** "Hello. I guess this means you're hungry, eh?"

Kale quickly catches on to how she speaks matter-of-factly, not so much a question, as if she had to make something up on the fly to cover up for something naughty that she has done. And Kale has a good idea as to what that something is.

 **Kale:** "You's were listenin'?"

 **Rogan:** "Yes, we were. We heard it all."

Kale rolls his pupils and irises upward as his eyelids close, groaning the whole time from the sacred violation of his privacy.

 **Rogan:** "We wanted to know the real reason why our son wanted to help you out, and now we do."

 **Sarah:** "And we have never been so happy to be proven wrong...Or have felt more humbled in all our lives."

 **Rogan** (Looking at Sarah who looks at him) **:** "And we didn't even have to say anything for it to happen to us." (While slowly looking back at Kale) "That's the thing about our son, RJ, he knows how to say things that're so profound that it leaves people speechless."

Both the words, and the fact that they are coming from the mouths of the raccoons that despised him at first sight, causes Kale to open his eyes again. As they now hold each other's right paws, he looks at them with scrutiny, and talks indifferently.

 **Kale:** "Treat a guy bad, then treat 'im like he's ya best friend...old trick."

Rogan and Sarah look at each other and smile warmly, causing Kale to say, "What is it?"

 **Sarah:** "You didn't insult us, so you're already improving."

 **Rogan:** "And now it's our turn. Our son is right, he doesn't have to be the only one who makes the others tolerate you. Our relationship with you has turned into a 'you scratch my back I scratch yours' one. You didn't make any snide remarks to us just then, so now we'll go get you something to eat."

 **Kale** (goes from indifferent monotone to intrigue) **:** "Really? You'd do that?"

 **Rogan** (nods) **:** "Even if you did insult us..."

 **Sarah:** "It's the least we can do to make up for all of the terrible things we said about you and your species."

Knowing their actions are just, and being unspeakably hungry, Kale decides to give the older raccoon couple a break, to show them that he won't hold anything that they've said against them.

 **Kale:** "Well, you's two had ya's reasons for hatin' wolves..."

Another stomach growl forces Kale to change the topic.

 **Kale:** "But how can ya get me food? My bro's destroyed everything."

 **Rogan** (winking on the word of emphasis) **:** "Oh, they _think_ they've destroyed everything, but raccoons always plan ahead."

 **Sarah:** "Years ago we came up with the idea of having a secret stash of food kept in a cooler at RJ's hammock spot, in case of the 'code-red emergency' of all our food being eaten by other animals."

 **Rogan:** "Just hold on for five minutes tops, okay kid?"

Even though he accepts the age differences, Kale wants to retort about being called a kid by an animal that's three times smaller than himself, but the need to feed overrides the need to assert dominance.

 **Kale:** "Sure ting."

Once Sarah and Rogan are outside, Kale is again left alone to his thoughts. He feels like he's surrounded by a bunch of mood-swingers...not that he's any better. Simultaneously, the switch of the two animals' emotions is quite intriguing and represents a stark contrast with wolf society codes. According to those, wolves must always be fierce, strong, smart, and fast; must always be the highest authority when in the presence of prey animals in order to uphold the laws of Nature, specifically the relationship between predator and prey. It is always a matter of always.

That bit of knowledge makes him finally think deeper about everything that's happened to him ever since his failed hunt. He had reluctantly turned his back on wolf society codes by agreeing to let the prey animals help him, but the pain he was experiencing that night would have made anyone do anything for it to end. Next, he nearly salvaged his standing in wolf society when he told his brothers that he planned to take advantage of the animals' care, and that he would eat the prey, as a means to get back on good terms with his pack. His mind tells him that he is fair and square with wolf society since his brothers believed him, but his heart knows that those words are a lie, and deep down he has no intention to eat them. What's worse is that with RJ's willingness to champion him among the other animals, as well as Rogan's and Sarah's newfound amnesty, it will be harder for Kale to come up with a way to make up the hedgies' deaths when he goes back to his pack. He should follow through with his suggestion, make his lie become truth, but if he thought it was hard to do that before, it's going to be a lot harder starting now. Which means, finally, by letting himself be swayed by RJ's words and the raccoon's parents, he full-on rejected the codes of wolf society, and rejected those willingly.

However, only a monster would not be moved by RJ's unconditional kindness, and Kale would be lying to himself if he said that he didn't appreciate RJ's help, and Rogan and Sarah's change of heart. Still, he is a wolf and has greater responsibilities bestowed upon him that he must uphold, and the best way to do that is to not get too attached to any of the prey animals...for his sake above all else.

So it's decided. It will be the most despicably two-faced thing he's ever done, but he cannot let his "natural enemies" know of his gratitude for them...and especially his friends and family of the Bone-Chomper Pack.

In the two seconds it takes for Kale to inhale and exhale his next breath, his heart is already heavy with guilt.

 **Kale thinking** (in woe) **:** " _Why's it gotta be so hard ta be a wolf...?_ "

In the weeks of recovery to come, Kale will find it even harder to maintain his standing as a wolf...And so will his two brothers.

* * *

 **Well, I hope that Chapters 3 and 4 were great additions to the story which, if all goes as planned, is halfway done. This will also be the last update for a while because I'm going to be busy searching and applying for other jobs that I can do with my college degrees, while still doing the normal duties of the job I currently have.**

 **Happy Holidays (at the time of these chapters' initial postings), and I'll see you later!**


	5. A Level Playing Field

**Chapter 5: A Level Playing Field**

Far from the log, and as the dawn light is creeping over the horizon, Bone-Chompers Luciano and Bugsy are near their pack's dwelling. They know they will have some explaining to do about their absence. But in a departure from regular wolf behavior, it is the truth that must be told instead of a lie; the truth will enable the two to get things straight. At the same time, Luciano and Bugsy intend to question the other Bone-Chompers as to why they didn't come searching for the brothers once they were declared missing. The two know their reasons well, and Kale provided them with all they need to say on his behalf, but are curious about their pack's reasoning.

Luciano and Bugsy stop when their sensitive hearing picks up the sound of grass being walked on. One second later, Dillinger jumps from the right so as to be in front of them like a jet-black ghoul from a nightmare. His attack-stance, arched back, glaring red eyes, and how his growled "Hmmmm" is made in an "Ah-ha" tone instead of a question, all indicates that there are some hard feelings present. The brothers, though understanding the older wolf's message, are not intimidated at all, and speak as if Dillinger's actions are simply how he says "Hi"—which is usually how he does that.

 **Luciano:** "It's good ta see ya too, Dill."

 **Bugsy:** "Did'ja rip off any critter heads while we was gone?"

Dillinger's red eyes narrow into slits, he jerks his head to the right over his shoulder, and then he turns around and starts walking. It's obvious what Dillinger was miming, so the two brothers follow close behind him in single file in obedience of his nonverbal instructions. They travel 30 feet and after passing through some tall grass at the very end, they are back at the outside of the wolves' dwelling, which draws the attention of the other Bone-Chompers.

 **Clyde** (playfully) **:** Well, well, we-elll. Looks like our MIA's are back."

 **Bonnie** (ditto) **:** Guess I can't get dibs on dare food portions no more."

She nudges her fiancé and the couple chuckles at their own jokes. Luciano decides to add something of his own to the mock-humor session as a way to end it, even though he knows that some of the other wolves won't let it slide so easily.

 **Luciano:** "Sounds like someone's have been jealous of me 'n my brohan for a while."

Bonnie's and Clyde's smiles vanish, and Capone says, "OO-OOO! Good one, Luciano!"

 **Nelson** (at Luciano) **:** "Glad you's back, I've missed ya's jokes over the past day."

The engaged couple wants to talk back in defense, but all of the wolves become quiet and recompose themselves when Leo steps forward and speaks.

 **Leo:** "Dat's enough folks." (Looking at Luciano and Bugsy) "You's both know da question that needs answerin', so I'm not gonna waste my breath askin' it and want you's two ta explain, pronto."

 **Bugsy:** "Of course, Leo. Luciano and I went ta go find Kale and bring him back."

An uneasy silence pervades the area as the wolves arch their heads back or look at each other in shock of two things. First, Bugsy calling his little brother Kale instead of Track. Second, the two brothers' actions of—well, Leo speaks before the thought can finish going through the others' heads. As he speaks, he casually walks over to Luciano and Bugsy, his oddly calm body language making everyone paradoxically edgy.

 **Leo** (matter-of-factly and cheerful) **:** "So, you's thought it was okay ta go against my order ta leave ya brother behind...? A decision that you two had no problem agreein' with when I first gave it? _Then_ , you's wanted ta outright disobey me by tryin' ta bring 'im back...?"

By now, Leo is six inches away from the two brothers who stand side-by-side. They know what will happen next, and mentally brace for it but dare not physically act in their own self-defense.

 **Leo** (matter-of-factly and cheerful) **:** "Ah...May I remind you's of one very teeny, tiny, yet vitally important detail." (Screaming in rage) "I'M YOUR _PACK_ GODFATHER FIRST," (hits Luciano in the face) "AND LITERAL-GODFATHER _SECOND!_ " (hits Bugsy in the face)

Even though the other wolves prepared for what they would witness, they still raise their eyebrows and jolt on the inside from their godfather's words and actions. Knowing that the worst is yet to come, Bonnie locks forepaws with Clyde, Capone cringes his face to the side and peeks at the scene with his peripheral vision, Emmy puts a foreleg around Gabby whose eyes widen in both shock and anticipation, Nelson takes a defensive stance despite being far from Leo, and Dillinger shakes his head from side-to-side with wide eyes as if saying "Oh-ho-ho, they're in for it now..."

 **Leo** (yelling at Luciano and Bugsy as they are on the ground) **:** "You's didn't just disobey me, you've also broken the codes of wolf society! You should never, _ever_ , disobey ya's godfather's orders, even for ya own brother!"

 **Luciano:** "We know—"

 **Leo** (hits him again and while yelling) **:** "AND _DON'T_ INTERRUPT ME!" (Quieter but still mad tone) "Have you's forgotten why I decided—why we _all_ decided—it was best ta leave Track behind?! His incompetence made us, the Bone Chomper Pack, the greatest wolf pack in the nation, lose to a bunch'a prey animal kids! From that moment on, we've been a disgraced pack, and the only way ta regain the smallest shred of honor was ta leave behind the one who was responsible for disgracin' us. You's _know_ that I made da right call in upholdance of the codes of wolf society, so I's can cripple ya's legally. But I won't, because I also made a vow to you's late parents ta take care of ya's. However, I'm findin' it _very hard_ ta keep that vow, 'specially 'cuz I thought you's two, of all wolves, wouldn't disobey me. And while we's on da subject of that, you's two have also violated you's parents' vow ta me. I took you's in when you were all alone and had nowhere else ta go. I could'a let you's two and Track fend for ya'selves in da wilderness. So in honor of my generosity and diligence to keep a promise, you's two _must_ respect my choices without question...But you didn't. Do you's have anything ta say for ya'selves?"

Giving the floor to the brothers, who have been provided a new argument to take advantage of, Luciano gets to his feet and looks Leo in the eyes while speaking. He is completely unafraid of what will happen to him when he and Bugsy finish.

 **Luciano:** "It's because of our parents' vow that we went ta go get Kale."

 **Bugsy:** "And dat vow is: Family comes before da pack...We don't disown divorce, or turn our backs on our own, no matter what they do. Sniff-Trackers stay together, no arguments..."

 **Leo:** "Dat has nothing ta do with me promisin' ta raise ya if ya's parents died."

 **Luciano:** "We know. And you're right about another thing, Leo. Track _is_ a disgrace. But he's our disgrace, and moreov'a, he'll always be our brother and you's godson."

The shamelessly-spoken words and unflinching posture of the brothers forces Leo to think if he is really doing the right thing for the first time in his life. He feels like Eddie and Sharnese are looking at him right now, shaking their heads in disappointment. They always valued their family life over keeping up with wolf society...And had in fact died trying to improve their standing in the latter. Does that mean that family should be more important than one's reputation? Leo thinks about it hard but briefly, and concludes that it's too late for him to accept that. Leo truly loves his mate and daughter, and thinks of the other wolves as his second cousins, but he will always be more focused on being the godfather of the best wolf pack of all time.

 **Leo** (sighs and speaks seriously, without any trace of anger) **:** "If we's weren't the best wolf pack in the nation, I would concede ta what you's two're sayin'..."

Luciano and Bugsy lower their heads in acceptance of their godfather's will. They know his reasons, and so do the others.

* * *

Leo desired to be in charge of the best wolf pack ever since he was a pup, back when he was named Stand-Fast, and was part of the worst wolf pack in the nation. His parents were the most selfishly lazy wolves alive; always thinking of getting things the easiest way possible without putting in any effort, hence why their family was called the Easy-Going Wolf Pack. From the age of four to when Stand-Fast Easy-Going was 10-years-old, his parents manipulated his child mind into doing everything for them: bringing them food, defending their territory, and trying to recruit other wolves to join them to which the latter refused for obvious reasons. They didn't even discipline the kid whenever he failed at his tasks, which made Leo punish himself, and always desire to improve no matter how well he does. The only upside of Leo's childhood was his friendship with Sniff-Tracker Eddie, but Leo's parents' laziness nearly cost him the one thing that meant something to him.

One would think their easy-going life was satisfying enough for them, but they desired more, to be even lazier. One day, they told Stand-Fast to go rile up some humans and to lead them back to the wolves' dwelling, and their son obeyed without hesitation as he always had. The result: Leo's parents intentionally let themselves and their son get caught so they could be put in a zoo where all of their food was brought for them by humans, and where the codes of wolf society would not apply to them. That's when Stand-Fast started wising up and trusting his own authority above all others, because unlike his lackluster parents, he valued and craved a life of freedom and dominance.

Fortunately, the outside world didn't turn a blind eye to the plight of the only true wolf in the Easy-Going Pack, as Sniff-Tracker Eddie snuck into the zoo once every few months when security was thin to visit his best friend and propose escape plans. Sadly, the plans often failed because each plan, no matter how elaborate or seemingly fool-proof, was attempted at night when the animals were kept in cages and the zoo night staff was paying close attention to the cameras in the holding pins. Eddie certainly couldn't help Stand-Fast break out during the day when visitors and staff were most numerous, or at least as the wolves initially believed. Three years of captivity later, they decided that a daytime jail-break was so crazy and so unexpected that it just might work, and it did. Stand-Fast escaped from the zoo with Eddie's help when he was 13, while the former's parents were so content with staying where they were that they didn't even bat an eye. Stand-Fast wanted to start a pack with Eddie upon returning to the wild, but Eddie's parents were too overprotective to allow their son to join any pack besides their own. So Stand-Fast became a rogue wolf, but he was a rogue wolf with a mission: to become the leader of the greatest wolf pack ever, and to do that he had to be the greatest wolf of all time.

His past experiences of doing everything for his parents made him a hard worker willing to take whatever steps were necessary to achieve his goal, as well as strong fighter. However, his past defeats had also taught him that strength alone isn't enough to succeed. Stand-Fast based his newfound life's purpose on one human phrase that hit home with him: "Knowledge is power, and a lack of knowledge is weakness." Therefore, whenever he wasn't trying to find food or defend his turf, he spent most of his free time watching human television shows about animals. From these, he learned valuable information about the anatomy, species-specific abilities, strengths, and weaknesses of every animal in the world. With that knowledge, he learned how to easily locate and defeat any creature he encountered by attacking the pressure points/joints, arteries, veins, and vital organs. Of course, targeting those areas for creatures that were taller, faster, nimbler, or possessed venom, greater muscle mass, and superior reflexes than wolves required Stand-Fast to become more agile than most wolves. Dog competition shows gave him the perfect ideas on how to use his surroundings as obstacle courses to improve his physique, with a few actual fights with animals thrown in between for him to practice what he learned, and to note where he needed further improvement. By the age of 18, Stand-Fast was more acrobatic than most canines became in their whole lifetimes, which enabled him to augment his already formidable nature-given abilities as a wolf to jump, parry, and flip like no other predatory canine.

Many bears, wolverines, other wolves, and mountain lions paid the ultimate price for underestimating Stand-Fast whenever he or they antagonized the other into a fight. He quickly gained a reputation for taking down predators twice his size or larger, which earned him the name Leo—a common name associated with lions—for being as fearsome as the reputed King of the Jungle. Many wolves offered for him to join their packs, but Leo refused because his dream was to start his own pack, and the _best_ wolf pack at that. For the latter to occur, it meant that the wolves he chose would have to be just as strong, smart, fierce, and intelligent as he was. Moreover, although Leo would instruct his pack members at how to become as fearsome as he is whenever necessary, his pack members were required to already have a history of taking out larger predators in addition to a high prey animal kill count. That way his pack would be composed of latent experts who would only become greater, and thus raise the pack's standing in wolf society, rather than being made up of rookies that risked disgracing the pack's standing in wolf society.

Even before anyone joined his pack, Leo basically had all of the other Bone-Chomper wolves' special talents within him, making him _the_ definitive example of what a wolf should be. He is a formidable brawler like Bonnie and Clyde, smart like Capone, physically and reputationally attractive like Emmy, ready to start (and win) a fight like Nelson, a braggart who is just as good as he says he is like Gabby, a great pool shark/shady-deal-maker like Bugsy, a territory-war-inciter like Luciano, and stealthy like Dillinger—though Leo personally thinks that attacking animals in their sleep all of the time is somewhat cowardly, and prefers fighting in the open which is more honorable.

The first wolf to join him was Emmy, named after how her strength and beauty could win her an Emmy Award. Their relationship started out all-business and no-nonsense at first, but Leo found Emmy's personality as charming as the qualities that gave her her name, just as she found his dedication and charisma to be more attractive than his tough-guy looks. They quickly fell in love, married, and had their daughter Gabriella which gave them enough wolves to be considered a pack. From then on, his Bone-Chomper pack increased in size one at a time (save for Bonnie and Clyde who joined together) until it finally achieved his dream of becoming the godfather and the best wolf pack ever...a dream he refuses to let go of. For anything or anyone.

* * *

Now though, Leo redirects the conversation's attention back to the ex-Sniff-Tracker brothers' disobedience.

 **Leo** (while motioning his head at Gabby) **:** "It's also a just punishment ta leave Track behind when his selfishness got my beloved daughter injured. When that happened, he stopped bein' a Bone-Chomper and became the outcast of our family. I am your legal guardian, until the day if you's two wanna start you's own pack, which you know won't be as fulfilling as the life you have with us...the life dat I provided ya's with. And after all that I've done for you's, you still tried ta bring Track back? Look, I understand why you wanna do what's right in ya parents' eyes—and they'd be proud of ya—but you's two are Bone-Chompers, not Sniff-Trackers."

Bugsy and Luciano look at each other first in grief and indecision, not wanting to be kicked out of Leo's pack but still wanting to do something for Kale. Then, their wolf intellect gives them an idea, and their eyes are full of confidence and energy when Bugsy speaks.

 **Bugsy:** "If me and my bro's place in the pack is so important for ya as part'a keepin' you's vow with our parents, then why didn't ya's come look for us as we searched for Kale?"

He and Luciano expect Leo to answer, and are surprised when their godfather keeps his mouth shut. But just as they get ready to accuse him and the others of apathy, the answer comes out from someone else.

 **Clyde** (turns his head slowly so that he is looking at Bonnie by the time he finishes his first sentence) **:** "Dat would actually be our doin'. Bonnie 'n I decided ta go ahead and get married."

Luciano and Bugsy immediately drop all bad thoughts and become enchanted at the news.

 **Luciano:** "Oh, you's mates now?"

 **Bonnie:** "Heh-heh, yup."

 **Bugsy:** "Well congrats to ya's both!"

 **Bonnie:** Thanks. But we all had ta get the skunk stench outta our fur, so we spent most'a the day searchin' for some spray cans of air freshener."

 **Clyde:** "We sprayed ourselves with so much, dat the fresh scent among our pelts prevented us from locatin' you's. It was also a long and tiring journey to get back and we wanted to get married pronto." (Kisses Bonnie lovingly on the lips)

The answer makes sense, and Bugsy recalls how long it took for he and Luciano to locate Kale's skunked scent among their own, and especially once the skunk smell vanished from their youngest brother's fur. However, Luciano finds a discrepancy in the reasons

 **Luciano:** "We's still would've liked ta be a part of the wedding, so why not hold it off a 'lil longer?"

 **Bonnie** (glaring at Luciano and escalates from a testy to an angry tone with every word) **:** "You's heard my mate, we was too tired! And we've been holdin' off on our wedding long enough, so it's not you's choice ta decide when we can and cannot have it!"

 **Luciano** (holds up his right forepaw defensively) **:** "Okay, okay. My bad. I'm sorry."

 **Bugsy:** "But all'a you's owe us an apology too, 'specially you, Leo."

 **Leo** (in a yeah-right tone) **:** "For what?"

 **Bugsy:** "For gettin' onto us when we didn't even bring back Kale."

For the first time since the two brothers returned, the other wolves finally notice that Kale is nowhere in sight. At the same time, Bugsy and Luciano silently chastise themselves for not using that trump card sooner. But better late than never, they figure. Speaking of waiting too late, they decide to keep the exposition going before anyone thinks to say any comebacks.

 **Luciano:** "Here's what happened..."

He and Bugsy take turns recapping on what they had been through to find Kale, how they smashed up the prey animals' furniture and food, how Kale was angry at them for trying to bring him back, as well as their young brother's plan of deceiving the animals into helping him recover, and how Kale will stab the prey in the back. The others listen closely, silently at first—giving nods of appreciation—and then let their appreciation show more verbally with Mmhms, yeahs, and similar words.

 **Nelson:** "Looks like we's underestimated Track after all."

 **Bonnie:** "The kid's a born natural at deceivin'!"

 **Capone** (intentionally melodramatic wistfulness) **:** "Dey grow up so fast..."

Oddly, even Gabby gives credit where credit is due as she says, "He may be a selfish glory-seeker, but at least he's got a devious brain somewhere in dat head of his."

Most surprising of all, Dillinger actually smiles a genuine smile—something rarer than him speaking—as if saying, "Atta boy, kid. Atta boy."

Only one wolf keeps his composure, and has been mulling over in his mind everything the brothers had said as soon as they say it. While the others are celebrating, he is thinking of what to say about the story he has heard. Once he knows what to say, he wastes no time in speaking, and everyone goes silent, turns their heads, and listens quietly as soon as the first word comes out.

 **Leo:** "Dare's a few things that don't add up. First off, why was Track sleepin' in da prey animals' log blocked off by food packages? If he wanted 'em to quickly take care of 'im if he woke up in the middle of the night, or day, then they'd have ta waste valuable time movin' the food ta get to him."

The observation is eye-opening for Luciano and Bugsy who are too dumbfounded by Leo to reply. This causes the pack godfather to continue after they don't respond in three seconds.

 **Leo:** "Furthermore, why weren't there any prey animals around their dwelling ta tend to Track on the night yous's two tried ta bring 'im back? Based on the kids we chased the day of his failed hunt, not all of the critters could climb up trees."

That's when something clicks in Luciano's and Bugsy's brains. When they found Kale last night, neither of them looked up in the trees where the prey could have been watching the whole time. If Luciano and Bugsy can't think of a good answer to the events that they themselves were present, then those who were not present at the place and time the brothers were certainly cannot. There is nothing but the quiet sound of wind blowing for 10 seconds. As always, in these situations that leaves everyone in the pack at a loss for words, it is the silent Dillinger who breaks the ice.

 **Dillinger:** "Puzzling, isn't it?"

Everyone goes from looking at him as he spoke, to looking at each other when he finishes. There is no more confusion in their eyes, only a clear idea that something isn't right with what Kale had told his brothers. The loopholes that Leo noted actually makes Bugsy and Luciano become suspicious of Kale's story. They _trusted_ their brother's words, and were so _proud_ of his plan to win back the pack's favor, which makes it hard to grasp Kale's words as being even remotely fabricated, but Leo's two great points are too good to deny.

Luciano and Bugsy keep thinking, " _There're no way Kale would lie ta_ us _, his own two brothers...But then again, he_ is _a wolf, so lyin' should be second nature to 'im._ "

The godfather gets the gist of the pack's hardening thoughts by the looks that form across their muzzled faces as each wolf is in his or her own world. One by one, they turn to face him, waiting for his leadership and guidance. Luciano and Bugsy are the last ones to look at him, and have the fiercest gazes.

 **Leo:** "It goes without sayin' that Kale's story isn't fully... _reliable_ based the details he's given us trew Luciano and Bugsy. That's why I need volunteers ta check in on 'im from time to time, to test da accuracy of his claims. It can't be you's, Gabby, your leg needs time ta heal. It also can't be Bugsy and Luciano, 'cuz I don't want ya's _feelings_ ta complicate dee issue. And make sure all of ya volunteers sprays somthin' on you's fur ta hide you's scent from Track's nose."

The wolves nod to show that they perfectly understand and will do whatever it takes to know the truth.

 **Leo:** "Then what're we waitin' for? Let's, go 'n find some human hunters who're guaranteed ta have scent-ridding spray, then pick spying volunteers when we come back. Move it!"

Just as the group breaks from their circle around Leo, he comes up with a better idea.

 **Leo:** "Wait! Scratch dat. We's gotta do some _real_ dastardly stuff ta get our pack's reputation back up. So let's go on a killin' spree ta collect as many prey animal skins as possible, then roll around in the corpses until we smell like da critters!"

Emmy, Gabby, Bugsy, Luciano, Bonnie, and Clyde instantly let out howls of celebratory agreement. Capone gasps in child-like glee while looking at Dillinger who gives a sharp-teethed sneer.

 **Dillinger:** "Joy!"

After that, Dillinger, along with everyone else, then looks at Nelson whose face is bright and full of un-containable excitement because massacres are his specialty.

 **Nelson** (bellowing enthusiastically) **:** "Follow my lead!"

Not wanting Gabby to miss out on any of the fun, Leo lies prone of the ground, and let's his daughter get on his back. When Luciano and Bugsy come running up to him to follow the others ahead of them, Leo gives a "Stop" gesture with his left forepaw.

 **Leo:** "You's two stay—as punishment for disobeyin' my orders."

Leo spoke in a way that indicates that there will be no argument with his words, and that any objection will be met with a serious beat-down. That's why Luciano and Bugsy have no choice but to obey, much to their disappointment.

Then all the other wolves storm away, following in Nelson's wake. The latter leads them in the direction opposite of the woods around the Elysian Fields Estates, since he knows that rousing panic in the Estates area would lessen the wolves' stealth when they have to spy on Track.

The Bone-Chompers are going to make a _big_ comeback...One that will be remembered for many generations.

* * *

After Rogan and Sarah departed with the rest of the hedgies to go on heists to re-obtain what Kale's brothers had destroyed, Kale was left truly alone in the log, with a cooler full of meat to eat. When Kale first thought about eating packaged meat, he believed it would be a letdown; cold instead of warm, dry without any blood to grease it, and lacking any flavor that comes with skin and fur. However, just as RJ had told him the night they met, the meat had been absolutely, positively, _blissfully_ , delicious. One bite of raw steak, and Kale spent the rest of his 15 minute meal moaning in ecstasy as his taste buds entered wolf heaven. Sure, the steak, pork chops, and chicken breast were a bit cold, but that's what magnified the flavor, rather than reducing it. The meat just melted in his mouth, causing him to savor every bite. The only thing that snaps him out of his gorge-fest is when he looks up to locate the next piece of chicken to eat and his eyes make contact with the hedgies who have gathered near the front of him. They are all giving him blank stares with wide eyes—even the bats whose eyebrows can't go any higher.

 **Kale:** "What?" (Rhetorically) "Nev'a seen'a wolf eat before?"

Even before Stella answers, Kale's inner voice tells him, " _Of course not. Oth'a'wise they wouldn't be alive._ "

 **Stella:** "Not like you just did."

 **Quillo** (whispering mischievously to Rachel) **:** "Yeah. It sounded like he was in heat."

Rachel playfully scoffs and lightly hits him in the arm, her smile never wavering for a second.

 **Kale:** "What can I say? I was hungry."

 **Ozzie:** "So does this mean that you like packaged meat more than live animals?"

Still wanting to sound like a tough wolf in the presence of prey animals, and not wanting to show his gratitude, Kale responds, "Hard ta say. It could've been that dis was the first food I've had in three days; anyone'll eat like they starvin'." (With a lopsided grin) "Do ya volunteer for a 'comparison'?"

Ozzie cups his paws over his heart and starts to lean back, but only gets back on his heels when RJ catches his father-in-law from behind, the latter's utterance of "Uhh" only lasting one second.

 **RJ:** "Relax, Ozz-Man, he's just playing."

The younger kids who had also been intimidated by Kale's last remark also visibly ease up, but Kale feels proud of himself for following through with his decision not to show gratitude in the presence of prey animals. That is, until the next one speaks.

 **Emily:** "But what kind of animals have you eaten?"

And so it has begun, much to Kale's displeasure despite his talk with RJ: the first random question borne out of the prey animals' curiosity of being able to talk to a predator without the fear of being eaten. Kale tries one way to avoid what will cause a domino effect.

 **Kale:** "Don't all of you's got a lotta stuff ta replace?"

 **Lou:** "We actually need a brief break for our strength to recover. And since we can't plug any electronics in just yet...No. We actually have nothing better to do right now."

Well, so much for that. Still, the wolf figures that the answers to this question should only cement his place as top of the food chain, so why pass it up?

 **Kale:** "I'll tell ya's only if ya don't hate on me."

 **RJ:** "Does everyone promise either not to get mad at him, or to leave if you do get mad?"

What hesitation there was before among the animals, now vanishes. They nod in unison, giving Kale permission to continue unabated.

 **Kale:** "Long story short, I've eaten every land-based prey n' predator animal in da continental U.S." (While making eye contact with De'Ausha) " 'Cept for a skunk-cat hybrid," (eyes lock onto Mary and Bernard) "Or a raccoon-possum hybrid—thanks to _you's_ actions that got me in dis mess in the first place!"

The spiteful, snapping tone that Kale speaks in, coupled with who he is looking at, makes Mary gulp and Bernard gasps while hurriedly running to Heather, tripping on his knee before quickly getting back up and going inside of her pouch.

 **Mary** (giggles) **:** "You're such a pouch-potato, Bernard."

 **Bernard** (sticks his head outside of Heather's pouch and in a defensive tone) **:** "Am not! This is just one of the ways I deal with fear without playing possum." (Cocky tone) "And at least I'm not a thumb-sucker."

 **Mary** (grips her fingers into fists and in an annoyed tone) **:** "Oh, you!"

In the two second gap of silence that happens before the next animal speaks, Heather rolls her eyes at how the source of her twins' sibling rivalry—thankfully happening much later than, and not being as intense as, Roger's and Tyler's—has been brought up yet again. Despite Bernard having more of RJ's raccoon physical characteristics, and Mary having more of Heather's opossum physical characteristics, ironically, Mary is more like a raccoon—brave, crafty, and mischievous—whereas Bernard is more like a possum with his meekness, melodramatic personality, and cautious nature. A double irony that contradicts each child's appearance is that Bernard is a mama's boy, and Mary is a daddy's girl. Bernard also frightens more easily, and has made a habit of crawling into Heather's pouch, hence Mary's mocking phrase of "pouch-potato." Of course, Mary has been later than most kids to give up sucking her thumb, so each sibling has some sort of "ammo" to use against the other. But that's all the time Heather has to reminisce when her attention is redirected at her mate when he speaks.

 **RJ:** "Look, Kale, the rule about not hating while you speak goes both ways."

 **Hammy** (absentmindedly) **:** "Besides, it's your own fault for not listening to your pack to slow down before running straight into the fox traps."

 **Kale** (angry) **:** "You little—!"

 **Rogan:** "Hammy, that was uncalled for. Say you're sorry."

 **Hammy** (looks at Kale) **:** "I'm sorry."

 **RJ:** "You need to forgive Hammy, Kale, he always says whatever's on his mind without thinking about it."

 **Kale** (nods at Hammy) **:** "Kay. But just so ya know, _Hammy_ , I'm gonna talk about eatin' all of you guys's species first. Squirrels and weasels're like potato chips ta me: bite-sized carbs that make me go hungry again inna hour."

 **Annette:** "What about porcupines? How many of those have you eaten?"

 **Kale:** "Porcupines taste pretty good. And I've eaten 15 in total: Adults, teens...and kids."

Penny gasps and walks away from the group, unwilling to listen anymore to a literal child child-killer. She doesn't even say "Jeepers," meaning she is deeply disturbed, which causes Lou to follow behind her to comfort her, but not without giving Kale an angry look. Everyone else stays as they are undoubtedly disturbed, but simultaneously curious.

 **Spike:** "How did you eat them? We've got lots of sharp quills."

 **Kale:** "Not on ya's belly-side. That's ya species' greatest design flaw."

Spike's eyes widen in grim realization. His father had always cautioned him to protect his soft underbelly, and now he fully understands why.

 **Kale:** "Raccoons taste betta dan porcupines, but can carry lots'a diseases. So my pack always observed the ones we ate for a few days ta make sure dey weren't infected."

RJ's and Luby's family roll their eyes or grimace at Kale's comment about their species. Not because they disagreed, but because he was telling the truth. Fortunately, the raccoons in this large family bathe regularly and haven't eaten garbage or other things that can spread diseases in a long time.

 **Kale:** "Possums're the exact opposite of coons, so I'd never pass up a chance ta eat dem. I never liked da taste of turtles, too mildewey. And even lizards' 'n snakes's scales get stuck in my gums—but they's tastier. I never really liked eatin' pet dogs and cats 'cuz the soap from their masters givin' 'em baths smells good but tastes awful. I'd eat wild animals any day; all natural taste. I've only eaten skunks either as a dare, or ta get revenge for bein' sprayed by one, 'cuz it's obvious how _they_ taste."

Stella huffs and crosses her arms, but otherwise remains silent in a rare display of not saying anything to feed the fire that the wolf has created.

 **Kale:** "Rabbits for me are dee equivalent of bread for humans' meals—I eat 'em all the time. Bugs're like tiny candy bites and bats're like candy bars, but some taste good and others don't."

 **Celine:** "What about wolves?"

Everyone locks eyes with Kale, who pauses for the first time since his talk about animals he's eaten.

 **Kale:** "Huh?"

 **Celine:** "You said you've eaten every kind of land animal, which includes wolves."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, my pack and I have eaten a number of 'em."

One second of wide-eyed stares from the hedgies later, and Kale continues.

 **Kale thinking:** " _They's afraid...Good._ " (Out loud) "It's a cruel world, folks. Crueler for some more dan others. Call me a cannibal if ya want to, but dose wolves more than desoirved it. The Bone-Chomper Pack is da best wolf pack in the country, but that don't mean every wolf pack looks at us with respect. Certain wolves figured that if their pack eliminated ours that that'd make dem the number one pack in America. But my pack's _earned_ their standing, and we won't give it up to a buncha cheap, low-life, scumbags."

 **Ty:** "H-how did they, uh, taste?"

 **Kale:** "Like da wormy rats they were, but the taste of victory over those who desoirved ta lose is always sweet. Which is what _you_ should'a tasted like if you and ya's friends didn't ruin my hunt."

Even though Kale manages to keep his anger in check this time around, it's still obvious that he harbors some ill will toward a few particular hedgies. And some of the latter aren't in the mood for this to continue.

 **Luby:** "Look, kid, you need to get over the fact that some of our children contributed to putting you in the spot you're currently in, and get over it now, because complaining about it won't change anything."

 **Kale:** "Well, it makes _me_ feel a little betta."

 **Rick:** "So you'd prefer it if I had lost one of my two sons? And for this kit" (points at Roger) "to lose his only brother in the world? For my mate, son, and I to go through the heartache for the rest of our lives?"

 **Kale:** "If it means I could'a still been wit my pack and uninjured: yes."

That's where Rick has to draw the line in listening to the wolf. If anyone knows the kind of pain that comes from losing a sibling, it's Rick, because when he was five-years-old, his four-year-old little brother had been killed by a grizzly bear. Unlike his two sons, Rick and his brother Riley didn't have any sibling rivalries and were like each other's shadows; always playing, eating, exploring, and foraging together. The two of them were best friends, and Rick was devastated when all of that had been taken away. There had been an empty hole in his life that could never be filled, until he met RJ and the two of them had become like Rick and Riley, albeit with some friendly rivalries about outdoing each other's heist plans thrown into the mix. That was the one thing keeping that empty hole from being completely filled, but unlike Kale who can't move on, Rick accepts the direction his life has taken, and knows that no one will ever truly replace Riley.

 **Rick** (to his family and while taking each of his sons' paws in his own) **:** "C'mon kids, we've heard enough from" (glaring) " _this_ guy."

 **Kale:** "Yeah dat's it. Leave. I never wanted any of ya ta talk ta me in da first place. Nor did I ever want ta be here."

The four of them, as well as Ozzie, Annette, Tiger, and the returning Lou start walking out, but stop when RJ speaks.

 **RJ** (to Kale) **:** "But then you'd have no one to talk to who truly understands you."

The other animals decide to head back—even Penny who heard the raccoon's voice echo from inside the log—curious about what RJ means. So is Kale, who gives RJ a look of betrayal, a look that makes RJ realize that he, in defense for Rick, has indeed said too much about what he and Kale talked about in private. Quickly and in one stroke, RJ decides to address everyone's curiosity while keeping what he knows of Kale's personal feelings a secret.

 **RJ:** "Someone who knows what it's like to be abandoned by loved ones. Yes, it feels bad, but it's only going to feel worse if you keep thinking about it."

Kale's expression softens from cold betrayal into relief and gratitude. His look shows that he's thankful for RJ not revealing the scorn that Kale feels for being a wolf.

 **Verne:** "And there's nothing that can change the past. You have to accept what life throws at you and work through the pain, rather than letting the pain work you over."

 **Simon:** "And the fact that your brothers came back for you, proves that they still love you. You can also go back to your friends and family when you recover, they'll be waiting for you. So there's little reason to feel like you're unloved."

 **Stella:** " _And_ we made a deal to take care of you, so the least you can do is show us some respect."

Kale is glad that the topic has changed from his deep feelings to the deal he made with the hedgies. He also believes that Verne has a good point. As for Simon and Stella...Although those two's opinions are valid, they also don't know how wolf society works, and how those codes will make rejoining his pack harder than the bat and skunk believe. This gives Kale an idea to do some manipulation. After all, that's what he lied to his brothers about, so why not make it become truth so as to enhance his future reputation?

 **Kale thinking:** " _Maybe it's time ta let these critters know about wolf society. It'll draw the line of what each of us has ta do._ " (Out loud) "Dat's gonna take a while...If it even happens at all."

 **Stella** (cynic sarcasm) **:** "Why am I not surprised?"

 **Kale:** "Hear me out, all of ya's. It's embarrassin' for a wolf ta owe anything to prey. And if any oth'a creature finds out about our deal, word'll spread, my pack'll hear about it, and then I'll never be able ta rejoin 'em—and our deal's off. I'm doin' stuff for you's, you's need ta do stuff for me."

 **Emma:** "But we're doing a lot for you already."

Several animals nod in agreement, but Kale doesn't waver.

 **Kale:** "We all have ta do more."

Before anyone can object, Sarah says, "He's right folks. Wolves _really_ value their standing in their packs. To be banished from one, especially the one that" (points to Kale) "his brothers are in, is worse than if he permanently lost his legs."

Hearing that from Sarah—one of two family members who has extensive experience with wolves—makes everyone willing to heed Kale's words and to make necessary compromises. This willingness is further enhanced by the fact that Sarah, who had been so specist to Kale when the group met him, is trying to support his opinion.

 **Velma:** "What do we have to do, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "First: you's all gotta keep you's pie-holes shut that you're takin' care of me. Don't tell ya's friends, and don't tell anybody who's not a part'a our deal."

 **Rogan:** "We'll make sure to hide you in the log using food packages whenever we have company over here."

More hedgies visibly start to show their willingness to follow Kale's instructions if Rogan is also agreeing to do the same. They also make a mental note to ask why he and Sarah have had a change of heart once this meeting has concluded.

 **Kale:** "Second, you's're gonna have ta mask my scent usin' your own ta fool oth'a prey animals who have a good sense'a smell."

 **Heather:** "There's only one way to do that: have us sleep on top of you. And it requires you to remember your promise of not harming any of us." (Pats Mary's head) "Especially those who caused your hunt to fail."

 **Kale** (sighs) **:** "I know..." (Back-to-business tone) "Three, I get ta have first dibs on all da meat you's bring in, and you's get the leftovers."

Every young omnivore and one of their two parents go "Awwww..." in melodramatic loss.

 **Kale:** "It's only until I feel betta. Four, and most importantly, all we have ta do is tolerate each oth'a, not respect or like each oth'a. So I'll be as grouchy as I please, comprendè?"

 **Hammy:** "Compren-what?"

 **Kale:** "Comprendè." Upon remembering who he is speaking to, Kale immediately follows up with, "Understand."

 **Hammy:** "Why didn't you just say that?"

 **Kale:** "Never mind..." (To the others) "So we all clear?"

Verne and RJ are in the center of the group, so Verne looks to the animals on the right, and RJ to the animals on the left, each animal giving either of the co-leaders their answer with a nod. Verne and RJ then nod at each other to indicate that everyone on the side that each looked had no disagreements. Then, the raccoon and turtle look at the wolf.

 **Verne:** "We're clear. But there's a few things we expect of you too."

 **Kale:** "Name 'em."

 **Verne:** "First, you need to drop any hard feelings you have for the kids who bested you and your pack during the hunt."

 **Kale:** " 'Bested'? They didn't defeat me! Dey just got lucky, and I got careless."

 **RJ:** "Either way, you need to let it go."

 **Kale** (disappointed) **:** "Alright..."

 **RJ:** "Two, if any 'prey animal' does somehow discover you, leave the talking to us. We'll do all we can to ensure your being our guest is kept under wraps."

 **Kale:** "Don't forget, if _that_ happens the deal's off, and then all'a _you's_ 're on the menu.

 **RJ:** "You need to trust us as much as we're trusting you. We _know_ the animals in the woods and you don't, so we can convince them."

RJ then gives Kale a sideways glance, a signal that causes Kale to remember how good with words RJ can be. He convinced Kale after all, so it only makes sense that the raccoon can do the same with others, even if the worst-case scenario happens.

 **Verne:** "Three, you only eat the meat that we provide for you; nothing more and nothing less."

 **Kale:** "What about bugs? Like I said, some of 'em taste good."

 **Verne:** "If you don't compromise, we don't compromise."

 **Kale** (begrudgingly) **:** "Fine."

 **RJ:** "Four, just so everything's clear, similar to the concept of respect, we have to _give_ each other tolerance in order to receive it." (Looks at the hedgies) "All of us," (looks at Kale) "and you."

 **Kale:** "Then we's agreed."

 **Hedgies:** "Agreed."

 **Stella:** "Just keep in mind that none of this changes the fact that you still owe us. We're the ones who helped you, not you're pack."

 **RJ:** "Alright gang, I think we've rested enough. Now let's get back out there and start looting!"

The others cheer and leave the area, leaving Kale all alone again, but now more conflicted than ever. The part of him that's still a playful kid actually wishes he could come along to help them, but this feeling is almost immediately disregarded by the part of him that is a wolf.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Now there's somethin' that shouldn't have happened._ "

He started the whole compromise talk to make things better for himself at the others' expense, but ended up in, as Rogan and Sarah would call it, a "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" relationship. Only now, that relationship applies to all of the hedgies. How did he let that happen? The wolf part of him finds himself feeling disappointed for not making things hard enough for the forest family. Now that he has quiet time to reflect, Kale realizes that he didn't demand them to be his slaves or he'd eat them, like he had told his brothers that he was doing. He wonders how that ever happened. He had the strength to jolt forward and hold at least someone hostage, but didn't take the chance when he should have. That's when he concludes that he didn't do that because he was thankful for Sarah sticking up for him.

 **Kale thinking:** " _At least I didn't get rid of the rule about any of 'em askin' me random questions. Oth'a'wise, I'd have no way ta creep 'em out or ta make 'em fear me as they should._ "

That's what the wolf part of him says, but the playful kid part of his conscience knows the true reason, and why his previous thoughts are just a lie. He didn't make a rule about the hedgies not asking him random questions because of the private talk he had had with RJ, Rogan, and Sarah. Those three are truly doing everything they can to make the time he is spending with the animals something that's at least tolerable.

He shouldn't be thankful, but he is. He should have asserted his dominance over all of them as a predator, but he didn't. He then remembers Stella's words, " _Just keep in mind that none of this changes the fact that you still owe us. We're the ones who helped you, not you're pack._ "

As much as Kale hates to admit it, he finds that the skunk is right. If the group of animals didn't find him that night, he would have died from the shock of his wounds, starvation, or being attacked by another predator. Wolf society codes or not, it is by the most basic of natural laws that he _must_ repay his debt to them, especially since they vowed not to reveal to others that he owed them a debt. Even so, the wolf part of his conscience wishes that something would happen that would give him the opportunity to be on top of the prey animals.

But he will learn soon enough that there is some harsh truth in the old phrase, "Be careful what you wish for."

* * *

By 4:30PM the sun's light is casting an orange glow on the landscape, and the forest family has finished their raiding for the day. According to RJ's and Verne's instructions, with today being Thursday the hedgies have to heist Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday in order to relax after a big haul and not give any angered humans a discernible pattern of when to expect the next raid. It will be understandably difficult for everyone to have the patience, since they want to replace their lost things as soon as possible, but the need for safety is the most important thing. Not to mention that today's raid was mainly about getting back entertainment possessions to help pass the time, along with enough food to last everyone until Saturday. So the animals have gotten a 70 inch HD TV—20 inches larger than their previous one—DVDs, Xbox One, several board games, and a boom box with iPod compatibility. The collection is still a way's off from being complete, but that is what future heists are for.

When the family came back from their first food haul, Kale had asked them to put him on the off-road skateboard so he could move around on his own. The ones who brought it to him were a bit disillusioned with Kale when he had said "Dat's betta" instead of a "Thank you," but they quickly overcame it when they remembered they still had lots to do—and remembered _who_ exactly it was that was talking to them. The unheard lesson was that wolves, like most predators, lack proper manners.

But it was Kale who truly learned something this day. He didn't realize just how much things the hedgies really had until he was able to move around and look at all of the empty space that been cleared out by the animals prior to their raiding. The size of the empty space had convinced Kale that a group of "weakling" prey animals weren't capable of getting even half of the things he had overheard them saying. That is, until he stared wide-eyed when they brought in the TV with the expertise of human movers, and then they _immediately_ went back through the hedge to resume their four-finger discount shopping spree without taking a rest break. It would take every member his whole pack—each with the strength of a full grown wolf—to move something as big and heavy as that electronic beast. And even though each animal had to strain to bring it in, Kale certainly had underestimated their strength. Even something as mentally insane as the cougar that killed his parents would be curious to know some things about this group of animals, and now that they're done he has all the time in the world.

 **Kale:** "Where did'ja's learn ta loot from humans?"

When the animals all look at him en masse, that's when Kale realizes that, in a twist of fate for a tough predator, he is the one to ask _them_ a random question out of pure and genuine interest.

 **Verne:** "From him."

Kale follows the turtle's pointing finger to RJ, and Lou fills in some more gaps.

 **Lou:** "We used to forage the old fashioned way by picking berries and collecting fish, until RJ introduced us to human food."

 **Kale** (to RJ) **:** "So where did you's learn?"

 **RJ:** "Like Luby—and all raccoons in general—I used to steal items from garbage cans or right under humans' noses when they were asleep or completely distracted. But the one who really taught me to raid fresh food was the bear Vincent. We became partners-in-crime, a thieving force to be reckoned among animals and humans. He had the muscle and experience, I had the smarts and the tools. Not only did the heisting alter my diet, but the thrill turned me into an adrenaline junkie. I couldn't get enough of stealing food from humans and other animals."

Kale's eyebrows follow the shrugging motion of his left shoulder and the nod in his head as he is very familiar with the rush that comes from the thrill of a hunt—the wolf equivalent to the raccoon's raiding—and the good feeling that comes after victory. Yet again, Kale has realized just how similar his life is to prey.

 **RJ:** "But the thing about being an adrenaline junkie is that you don't know when you've gotten in over your head until it's too late, and sometimes the realization can be fatal. Vincent got me out of some sticky situations that would've left me dead, but he expected something in return. He was never satisfied with food and possessions, he wanted to eliminate all adversaries. Both because he didn't want them threatening his life, and for plain fun...And I had to help him, had to do whatever he said. That was our deal."

Kale's expression and body language sobers up when RJ's story takes the dark turn. Not because he's disturbed with RJ's words like the others are, but because the wolf has done the exact same things as the bear Vincent has, and for the same reasons. In actuality, Kale has done worse things, and if there was a juvie center for animals, Kale would be doing hard time for life in the maximum security wing—solitary confinement. He has done many terrible and gruesome things to other animals and humans, things that would make this group of animals kill him if they found out despite all the promises he and they have made with each other.

 **RJ:** "But when I decided to start a new life, those lessons of heisting never went away."

Even some of the younger animals who hadn't heard the specifics about RJ's and Vincent's relationship join Kale in nodding their heads in comprehension. However, the seriousness is quickly replaced with humor when hammy Speaks up.

 **Hammy:** "Yeah! And it helped us a lot! Made us crave excitement too! We're also in it for the thrills and spills." (Talking fast without pausing) "Oh, except for Verne and Velma, but RJ said they'll learn to stop being so lame and boring and someday take life by the horns because deep down he thinks that underneath their meek exterior—whatever that means—that there's daring thrill seekers with hearts of gold."

 **RJ** (embarrassed) **:** "Hammy!"

But it's too late, everyone's gaze falls upon RJ. Hardest of all, Verne's and Velma's.

 **Velma:** "So _that's_ what you really think of us?"

 **Verne:** "We're boring and lame...?"

 **RJ:** "Well..."

Immediately, RJ realizes he can't make up a lie, so he tells the truth, but in a raccoon way.

 **RJ:** "It's not _all_ bad, it's mostly good." (Thinking): " _Note to self: I have_ got _to stop telling secrets to Hammy...He isn't as forgetful as he seems._ "

 **Kale:** "Soooooo, you's like stealin' from humans, and you's good at it. Just so ya know, you's are just lucky that no human will shoot ya on sight like dey would a wolf. Dey just take one look at me and go for the guns." (In conceited pride) "So you's toughest day is a cake walk for a wolf like me."

 **Spike** (defensive) **:** "Hey, man, humans try to get rid out us violently at the 'first contact' too."

 **Christine** (ditto) **:** "Yeah, they sometimes go for their guns, even though I have no idea what those look like because of this." (Points at her sunglasses)

 **Ozzie:** "Have you ever encountered verminators before? Because we have."

 **Kale** (shocked) **:** " _You's_ have faced verminators and are still alive and free?!" (In a yeah-right tone) "Get outta here."

 **Hammy:** "But this is my home, I don't wanna leave!"

 **Heather:** "Figure of speech, Hammy."

 **De'Ausha** (locks eyes with Kale and speaks in a voice tone that has the pride of her father and the attitude of her mother) **:** "We've faced two of the _toughest_ , _meanest_ , and _**smartest**_ verminators of all time, cheh -lowh wolf; their toys, and the people wieldin' them."

 **Kale:** "I don't know what you's just said, but I don't like da way ya said it!"

 **Note:** _ **Cheh -lowh**_ **is the actual transliteration of the Persian words شما نزدیک هستید /"you close/simple-minded," and are NOT words I made up for a gag.**

Wanting to simmer things down for his daughter's, and the wolf's, own safety, Tiger continues in a voice tone that clearly wants to level the moods out.

 **Tiger:** "It wasn't easy, for us to prevail against the verminators, though. Everyone except RJ was captured twice, and would have been killed if he hadn't rescued us all. And both times involved turning the verminators' own weapons against them..."

The animals then recap the last day of the "Food Wagon Incident" that happened during the first Spring that RJ came into their lives, and the "Verm-Tech Fiasco" from three years ago. Kale initially listens with skepticism, hard-set on finding the ways he can prove that they're lying to him. It's quite understandable, because the wolf has been raised with having prejudice against other creatures, especially those that are considered prey. The thought that raccoons, turtles, possums, porcupines, bats, a skunk, a squirrel, and a house cat could defeat a human adversary that would give a bear a run for his money, is preposterous for Kale...or at least the wolf conscience part of him. The fun-loving kid conscience in him, however, becomes quickly entranced with the details of how this group of prey animals avoided capture and cheated death, all while defeating a homicidal bear and two humans who were more specist than the wolf is. When they're finished with the story, the first thing Kale wants to do is to express his amazement. But then, remembering that he has to maintain his standing as a wolf, he gets ready to invalidate all of their claims.

 **Kale** (resentfully) **:** "That's..."

In the four seconds it takes for Kale to continue, his mind recalls what he has observed of these animals since his time with them began, and he makes connections with the details of the stories they just told him. First: they have proven to be physically strong, as demonstrated by their ability to carry him back to the log when he passed out, and the TV they brought in today. So maybe they _are_ strong enough to take the beatings they have sustained, and to fend off the threats they have faced. Second: they have proven to be highly intelligent, as demonstrated by their knowledge of how to operate human devices, negotiating with him, knowing what he's really thinking by reading his expressions like an open book, planning heists, and the ways the children ruined his hunt. So maybe they _are_ smart enough to outwit a bear and two animal-hating verminators. Third and finally: they have proven to be resourceful, as demonstrated by the items they use to help them in raiding from humans, collecting the necessary equipment to operate their stolen electronic devices, and their solutions to every problem that comes their way. So maybe they _are_ resourceful enough to turn a Depelter Turbo against their enemies, and cause a massive "prison break" at Verm-Tech.

It all seems to add up, and perfectly matches every description they have given him. Furthermore, it is the wolf conscience _and_ kid conscience inside of Kale that draws these analogies. That's how he knows that everything they have told him about their past escapades is true.

 **Kale** (congratulatory tone) **:** "That's above and beyond incredible..."

It is the first compliment Kale has given to all of the hedgies since first meeting them. That alone proves that he believes them. Not to mention it means a lot coming from a predator...A predator who was willing to listen to what they had to say, instead of interrupting them or flat-out ignoring them. So the forest family has made some new inferences about their guest. He is attentive, a critical thinker, and open-minded—just like they are. As good as the moment of silent appreciation is, it is ended by two of the kids being a kid.

 **Plushie:** "Aw, it was nothin'. I did crazy stunts with my mom all the time."

 **Roger:** "Yeah, and raccoons always have a game plan."

Kale joins in the ensuing chuckles as he and the omnivores have finally found a way to relax in each other's presence. Then, as Kale takes in a breath from his nose to get ready to speak, he catches something strange coming from two miles away. It's strange not in the sense that it is something different, but instead in the sense that it _isn't_ different at all. It smells like a raccoon, but the source from which the scent is emitting from is too big to be one raccoon. And he knows that it can only be one raccoon because he would be able to pick up the scents of the others that were near it if there were multiple ones. But to give off such a strong raccoon scent would mean the raccoon in question is the size of five raccoons—

—That's when Kale has a hunch of what it could be. He refocuses on the animals around him who are giving him uneasy expressions after having seen the wolf get all-serious after sniffing. Well, except for five animals who can't look at all, and one of them speaks first.

 **Simon:** "Why is everyone else being so quiet?"

 **Heather:** "What's wrong, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "Somethin's coming our way, and I don't think it's friendly...to you's at least."

 **Bernard** (while gripping Heather's leg in anxiety) **:** "W-what does that mean?"

Even though there is a wolf among them, the animals find it strange at how Kale's mood changes so quickly when he speaks. It's the same angry, forceful, and uncompromising tone he used when they first met him, making them feel like all that has happened to lighten things up between them and the wolf has suddenly vanished. They're suddenly afraid of him again, and yet, his words compel them to obey.

 **Kale** **:** "It means all of ya's betta listen up. Startin' with—"

* * *

Because the first "check-in" with Kale is also the most important (since any succeeding ones risk Kale catching on), stealth is essential. Therefore, the wolf best-suited for the first observation is Bone-Chomper Dillinger. As he walks through the woods that will take him to the forest bordering the Elysian Fields Estates, he recalls how the massacre of 150 prey animals had been such an elation to his (and the other Bone-Chompers') spirits that it almost made him yell and laugh with glee. He hadn't had fun like that since he was a lone wolf. However, he refrained from expressing any jubilation verbally and kept silent like he usually does. There are two reasons as to why he prefers not to speak in general. First is because actions mean more and do more than words **(1)** , and oftentimes it's better to think than to speak **(2)**.

 **Dillinger thinking:** " _If only my family could've heeded dose two lessons..._ "

That thought brings back some bitter memories.

His parents and four siblings—three sisters and one brother—of the Tuxedo-Coat Wolf Pack had the loudest, most nonstop motor-mouths any creatures have ever possessed in the planet's history. It was a constant annoyance being interrupted all of the time, and having to blindly guess whenever his parents or siblings were done speaking or just taking a breath to resume talking. Dillinger's name was Silencer at the time, because for the first few years of his life once he was able to speak, his family thought he was mute. Of course, if they had spent half of their time listening as they spent being chatter-boxes, they would have realized that Silencer was in fact capable of speech, but had simply figured out that there was no point in speaking up because none of them stopped jabbering on. His voice wouldn't have been heard regardless, so he never bothered.

At first he tried to ignore them, but they talked about _everything_ , a lot of which was so boring that Silencer nearly bashed his brains against a sharp rock out of boredom or to finally end his life of annoyance. And the worst part about that was: his parents and siblings were so busy talking that they wouldn't have noticed if he did. That's why he spent most of his time honing his skills away from home where he was content and free to be the wolf he wanted to be: a silent and efficient killer. Whenever he was forced to endure the company of his family (which took up most of his days) he spent that time daydreaming that he was in a better wolf pack, or that they were listening to him for a change...At least whenever their loud and constant talking didn't invade his happy place.

He knew he wasn't like his folks, so he made sure to look and act the part.

In the present, Dillinger rolls his eyes as the next part of his life story is something he truly regrets, something that makes him muse, " _What da heck was I thinkin'?..._ "

As Silencer Tuxedo-Coat, he was an Emo kid: always brooding, judging others like a snob (mostly in his mind, but a handful of memorable times out loud), styling his bangs in a way that covered his left eye, wearing a "Humph" and cross-armed facial expression, walking around all cool-like, and acting oh-so-tragic in opposition to the conformity that his family practiced. He didn't do it for attention, or to make girls think he was a hot rebel, but to let out his anger that he couldn't express verbally. His Emo phase still didn't help, because nothing in his life with his family pack changed, so he had to be Emo all the time. He envied the mute button on TV remotes, and wished more than anything that someone could invent a device that could mute living creatures at the touch of a button too.

The Tuxedo-Coats' constant talking impacted more than just Silencer's personality. His family's babble not only ruined many of their hunts, but also got them killed by a rival wolf pack who knew the importance of silence when on the hunt. Silencer avoided death because he was so quiet and covered in his family's blood, that he seemed to be dead instead of injured.

But Silencer was always different from his family pack, and their deaths only reinforced the ideology that silence is always a desired commodity in wolf packs **(1)**. And a specialty of Silencer's is to make quick, efficient—and quiet—work **(1)** of any creatures who have the unfortunate displeasure of being his target. He wasn't even that sad when his parents, sisters, and brother died, because he never liked them as individuals, and certainly never loved them as family. After burying their bodies, he spoke their eulogy, "You brought this on yourselves," and avenged their deaths by killing the rival pack silently in their sleep.

In his opinion, only the wolf with the right stuff survived the attack on his relatives, so it seems like Mother Nature always had big plans for him and not for his family. It set him free, too. From then on, Silencer no longer had to be Emo or daydream, and became a literal lone wolf, doing everything for his own benefit without the hassle of being in a pack. To prey and predator all over the country, Dillinger was—and still is—respected and feared as the "Black Wolf Ghost," a true boogeyman of the animal kingdom who not only attacked in silence, but prevented his targets from making a sound as he kills them too. Whether he was engaged in a moment of fierce action, or caught in reflective pause, there was no question of his notoriety; he _is_ the Black Wolf Ghost **(3)**. Many wolf packs requested that he join them, but he would only join one that had the same level of efficiency and skills as he did. He also refused to marry and start his own pack, or to become the godfather of a pack, for two reasons. First, his preference of not talking means he would be ineffective at giving orders. And second, he enjoys not holding the authority that could impact a whole pack, preferring to remain a hitwolf which allows more free time to do things that fuels his legend.

But when he discovered the Bone-Chompers, he finally found the group of wolves that he had been searching for all of his life. Each member of that pack was reliable, a professional, a great team player, and most of all, knew how to stay quiet on hunts. _He_ asked to join them, and they accepted without hesitation. After killing a black bear and her cubs as his initiation into the pack, Dillinger quickly adapted to working together with others, his lack of speech and lone-wolf background not hindering him in the slightest.

 **Note:** **(1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor**_ **by K.W. Jeter**

 **(2)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction**_ **by Dark Horse Comics.**

 **(3)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: From Panel to Panel Volume 1**_ **by** **Randy Stradley, Dave Dorman, Hugh Fleming, and Cam Kennedy.**

* * *

Doing this solo observation job of Kale reminds Dillinger of those good old days before he joined the pack, making him feel young again. He then redirects his attention from reminiscing and back to the task he has been assigned.

As he has been making his way to the log, using his memory of Bugsy's and Luciano's directions that they had given the whole pack, Dillinger is doing his best to remain stealthier than usual. He only moves forward when no other animals are looking his way, and avoids walking in leaves, through bushes, or on pieces of wood that would create noise. Instead, he keeps on the grass or dirt which doesn't generate any sound. That way, even if he is out in the open, he will be as quiet as the Black Wolf Ghost from the stories about him are. Although his nose isn't as good as Track's, Dillinger never forgets the scent of his prey, and has been following the smell of the American red squirrel and raccoon-possum hybrid that he recalls from the Kale's hunt.

Dillinger smirks as he muses, " _Another downside of a hybrid child. Easier ta locate his or her scent._ "

Soon, however, he sighs through his nose when he approaches the animal playground area, because it means that he has to drop any and all body language that indicates he is on a hunt while passing through it. It sounds easy, but Dillinger always likes to emit a sense of ominous foreboding in both appearance and in the very way he moves, so that makes it hard. He walks as casually as possible, to give everyone the impression that he is on a leisure stroll. As expected, his presence causes every creature that looks at him to stare in silence and with butterflies in their stomachs, whether they know of the Black Wolf Ghost or are laying their eyes on Dillinger for the first time. Fortunately, the laws of the playground dictate that everything that happens in it must not leave it until the event has passed. That means if a predator is using it as a cut-through to find prey on the opposite end, none of the animals in the playground can leave to go warn the prey until the predator leaves. Lucky for Dillinger that no one knows who he could possibly be hunting, not that it would help the prey even if the playgrounders knew.

When he leaves the playground, he resists the urge to look back and give any viewers a hard stare that reads, "What're you lookin' at?", as that would confirm that he's up to something. After remembering the next step in the ex-Sniff-Tracker brothers' directions, Dillinger smirks again at how the laws of the playground require that no animal can live in it or within a half-mile radius of it, which would give prey too easy of a chance to escape predators. Ergo, Dillinger has plenty of time to walk away so that he'll be long out of sight from the playground when he has to resume his sneaking. When it's time to do that, he goes back to carefully choosing when and how he proceeds.

For a brief moment, Dillinger considers going on a personal "side mission" when he catches the scent of the flying squirrel who had jabbed his eyes during Track's hunt. He quickly decides against it because he needs to be fast in checking in on Track, and it was Luciano who vowed to kill the rodent, so Dillinger won't take revenge away from him. Not to mention that the squirrel might be high up in a tree out of his reach.

 **Dillinger thinking:** " _One of wolves' greatest design flaws: can't climb trees. It's prob'ly better. Too easy otherwise. No challenge, no glory."_

That settles it, and Dillinger continues on his way to find Track. Five minutes of sneaking later and his ears perk up at the sound of something happening in the direction that will take him to where Track is located. One voice Dillinger recognizes as Track's, and he uses his nose to identify the species and gender of the speakers.

 **Kale's voice:** "Hey, I'm hungry. Gimme somethin' ta eat."

 **Female raccoon's voice:** "I'm trying, I'm trying! But I have to dig through a lot of food."

 **Kale's voice:** "Try _harder_! Unless you want da hybrid freak ta be my meal!"

 **Female raccoon-possum hybrid's voice:** "No!

 **Female opossum's voice:** "Please don't hurt my daughter!"

 **Kale's voice:** "One: you's've said dat so many times it's gettin' annoying. You do _not_ want me ta be annoyed. And B: I wasn't talkin' ta you."

 **Female raccoon's voice:** "Y-yes, K-Kale."

By now, Dillinger can see the area with the log and finds a good hiding spot. Outside and in the middle is Kale who is lying flat on the grass and holding the raccoon-possum hybrid tightly with his right forepaw. To the far left is a stack of food packages that a middle-aged female raccoon is frantically tossing to get to whatever Track wants.

 **Ozzie** (puts his paws around the Heather's shoulders and speaks in a comforting tone) **:** "C'mon, Heather. There's nothing we can do for Mary."

As the possum walks his hung-headed daughter away, Kale turns his head over his shoulder as far as he can and asks, "How's my TV coming along, pinecone-backs?"

Dillinger looks to the right of the log and sees three male and female adolescent porcupines working on hooking up a huge HD TV with an extension cord.

 **Spike:** "Almost done. Just gotta hotwire the HD converter."

 **Kale:** "Well make it snappy. I needs entertainment besides tormentin' ya's."

 **Spike:** "Yes sir."

 **Luby:** "Here you go."

She walks over and hands Track a small package of chicken tenders.

 **Kale** (satisfied tone) **:** "Dat's betta."

After swallowing his first bite, Kale looks over to his right at one of the teenage female porcupines and says, "Hey, butt-spikes, put'a fresh ice pack on my legs where da casts ends. My current ones've melted."

 **Emma:** "Could you please not call me that?"

Adjusting his grip on Mary so that his left forepaw is holding her back while she is in a laying down position, and so that his right one is on top of her belly, Kale says, "Want me ta go all 'trash compactor' on this freak?"

Mary yelps as Kale starts compressing her body, causing the porcupine to frantically say, "Fresh ice packs coming right up."

 **Kale** (threateningly) **:** "What do ya say ta me?"

 **Emma:** "I'm sorry."

 **Kale:** "And don't forget it."

Kale stops squeezing Mary and reorients her so that she's standing but still in his grip.

 **Mary:** "C-can I have some f-food too?"

Kale looks her in the face in an unamused, but willing to listen way.

 **Mary:** "I h-h-haven't eaten since l-l-last n-night..."

 **Kale** (mockingly deep tone) **:** "Uh buh, buh buh." (Normal voice tone) "Quit dat stutterin', coon-possum! And you'll eat at dinner time, no sooner or later! And you's get whatever I don't eat."

By now the teenage female porcupine approaches Kale's casted legs.

 **Kale:** "You know the drill. Don't ya's dare try ta hurt me."

 **Emma:** "I know."

As she removes the melted ice packs and places the new ones, Dillinger acknowledges that his observation shift has ended, which means he has to leave. On the plus side, he has observed enough to confirm that Track is like a slave driver and the prey animals are his slaves, which are very fitting roles for the prey and predator to have in this situation. Everything he's witnessing seems to check out with what Track had told his brothers, so Dillinger starts to stealthily backtrack the way he came, but not without some misgivings.

To the trained eye, therein lies the discrepancy. Everything _seems_ to check out. But the prey animals are showing too much compliance, not a shred of resistance or defiance as there should be. There also aren't as many animals present as Track's description to his brothers had stipulated. And why would Track want to eat bread, cookies, canned fruits, and potato chips? Those aren't staples in a carnivore's diet, and are obviously for the omnivorous prey animals. But why would Track allow them to eat that if all he supposedly lets them eat is the leftover meat from his meals?

 **Dillinger thinking:** " _Questions for the next shift._ "

And the next shift is happening immediately after Dillinger clears the area; Bonnie and Clyde should already be on their way. By having the second monitoring wolf team occur immediately after the previous one, it will ensure that, if Track had been lying, he would get caught in the act just as he and the prey animals relaxed from the first shift's departure in the unlikely event that they caught onto Dillinger. Such planning is an excellent showcase of the superior intelligence of wolves.

But the plan forgets to acknowledge one important thing: there is a wolf among the prey animals too.

* * *

20 minutes later, Bone-Chompers Bonnie and Clyde are a bit concerned as they approach the playground area without Dillinger in sight. The timing of their arrival and his departure has to be perfect, not too soon and not too late, or else any animals living outside of the playground's half-mile boundaries will become suspicious of why there are wolves without pups coming through it. Part of the reason they can't see Dillinger yet is because he has to take the long way around the playground instead of cutting through it again to prevent the suspicion. But then again, whenever a wolf in the Bone-Chomper Pack is being sneaky, you don't find him/her, he/she finds you.

Despite this knowledge, Bonnie's eyes jolt open and her gut jumps when she looks to her left again, expecting to see nothing, and instead sees Dillinger appear as if from thin air.

 **Bonnie:** "Gah! Dillinger...Ya almost took a face-swipe."

 **Clyde:** "And it'd leave a permanent mark on ya, too. My new mate's always had a strong right cross."

Clyde winks at her and she gives him a smile, but they face the black wolf when he speaks.

 **Dillinger:** "Down to business."

 **Bonnie:** "Wit _you_ it's always business, and no fun."

 **Clyde:** "He's right, baby." (To Dillinger) "Give us da spiel."

Clyde and Bonnie listen closely as Dillinger recaps what he had seen, and where certain things were off. He uses as few words as possible, of course, but his words are chosen wisely and paint a vivid picture of what Bonnie and Clyde should do.

 **Bonnie:** "Leave it ta us, Dill."

Dillinger nods and the three go in opposite directions, right on schedule.

 **Bonnie:** "And for da record, y'know dat if ya's spoke more often, ya's voice wouldn't be so hoarse after speaking one sentence all the time."

Without turning his head or body an inch, Dillinger stops walking, pauses for two seconds, and then resumes walking...Indicating that he heard Bonnie's comment, but doesn't bother to give even a nonverbal reply. Bonnie sighs while shaking her head side to side in dismay.

 **Clyde:** "Lighten up, toots. At least ya tried."

She shrugs with a smirk and the two continue on their way. Before entering the playground, Bonnie and Clyde nod at each other and then proceed. Contrary to Dillinger, wolves are usually very social animals, which means Bonnie and Clyde have an easier time avoiding suspicion as they walk among prey and other predators by simply talking to each other.

 **Bonnie:** "Life's so much betta now dat we're mates, don't ya agree?"

 **Clyde:** "Life's been betta ever since I first met ya's, baby. Remember how it happened?"

 **Bonnie:** " 'Course I do. You's were known as Slugger for the beatin' you could deliver, and I was called Temptress for my tactic of luring in other's wit enticing offers, just so I could get close enough ta finish 'em off. You was on your way to ya's favorite moon howlin' spot which, little did ya know, was also my favorite moon howlin' spot. But we's each normally had our own specific time'a night to use dat spot."

 **Clyde:** "The only reason we met was 'cuz I decided ta arrive dare early ta get some extra practice and, lo 'n behold, I saw you's at my spot."

 **Bonnie** (playfully hits him and speaks in a giggle) **:** "There ya go again, _still_ lyin' ta ya'self! Because you was earlier dan normal, dat automatically meant it was _my_ spot when you showed up."

 **Clyde** (chuckles) **:** "We argued for five minutes before we's tried to fight over da spot. I had fancied myself as an deviant when it came ta wrestlin', and thought my experience of wrestlin' wit my siblings would give me a quick win over you's."

 **Bonnie:** "But then I showed ya's dat I was just as good at wrestlin' as you's. But before dat night, neither of us had fought someone wit the strength we possessed."

 **Clyde:** "It was da first time either of us had ta call a truce outta exhaustion. But we vowed ta determine who da victor was on anoth'a day."

 **Bonnie:** "You's became all I ever thought about from that day on."

 **Clyde:** "And vice versa, baby. I couldn't focus durin' my family pack's hunts..."

 **Bonnie:** "...Couldn't listen ta my mom n' dad's instructions..."

 **Clyde:** "...And couldn't find no satisfaction in any meal until we's had our rematch."

 **Bonnie:** "It was da same time and place. And it was anoth'a draw, which only made us obsess over dee oth'a even more."

 **Clyde** (stops to look at Bonnie in the eyes) **:** "You's were dee only opponent who didn't mind my rough housin', and who kept coming back for more."

 **Bonnie** (slyly and while slowly walking forward) **:** " _I_ was persistent, _you's_ were too dumb ta quit, ha-haa!"

 **Note:** **Bonnie's words above are based on a quote from** _ **The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog**_ **cartoon show.**

 **Clyde** (ditto) **:** "Now who's bein' da liar? You's got those details mixed up."

 **Bonnie** (seriously) **:** "No I _don't_."

 **Clyde** (ditto) **:** "Yes you's _do_."

The two lock eyes in confrontation and growl menacingly at each other, causing some animal onlookers to tense up and prepare to ask the two wolves to leave if they threatened the safety of the other animals in the neutral zone. Then, after three seconds of intense unblinking staring and snarling, Bonnie and Clyde crack up in laughter.

 **Bonnie:** "Ah, c'mere, Clyde."

 **Clyde:** "You's too, Bonnie."

The two enter a passionate kiss with their eyes closed, their tongues fighting like they're at a world championship thumb-war. They giggle-moan as they grab the back of their mate's neck and pull each other closer together.

* * *

While continuing their kiss, they both silently reminisce about how their relationship ironically deepened after they discovered that their family packs were rivals—a true Romeo and Juliet story. They had to yell and insult each other whenever their parents and siblings feuded with stolen hunt opportunities, words, claws, and teeth. When their folks were asleep, the two would sneak out to go on dates and have wrestling rematches, and even to this day, they are stalemated. The fun lasted until Slugger and Temptress were 16-years-old, which was when Temptress's youngest brother tattled on her to her parents. Her parents told Slugger's parents, and then both rival families united for a brief moment that asked the children with an "intolerable relationship" to make a choice: each other or their families, and they chose each other. Slugger and Temptress were kicked out of their families, but their lives were happier ever since. It was every adolescent rebel's dream come true: they were their own bosses, free to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted as they lived by their own rules and for each other.

Normally, two teenage lovers trying to live on their own without adults to guide them rarely works out well, but Slugger and Temptress proved to be the exception. This is because they were wolves, whose only concerns were food and shelter, and therefore had the advantages of being fearsome partners in crime. They lived a "kill or be killed" lifestyle that they thoroughly enjoyed, and at which they were very good. They spread chaos wherever they went, thus earning their new names of Bonnie and Clyde. For a long time, they refused to marry or start a family of their own because they didn't want to have teenage rebel pups, and preferred to keep living in the excitement that can only come from not having kids. Then when they were 25 years old, they heard rumors of the fiercest wolf pack in the nation, and went to the "initiation" day. Bonnie and Clyde survived and prevailed in their task of each killing a wolverine, and became Bone-Chompers from there onward. Their past of fighting each other makes Bonnie and Clyde the best brawlers of the Bone-Chomper Pack.

Two years after spending time in the best wolf pack in the country, Bonnie and Clyde decided to get married one day and to have pups, because if Bone-Chompers Leo and Emmy could raise a family while still being the best wolf pack leaders, then so could Bonnie and Clyde. They got a good idea of how to raise wolf children by observing how Leo and Emmy raised their daughter, and noting those two's mistakes (which they never mentioned in their godfather's and godmother's presence). They haven't been on their honeymoon yet, but Heaven have mercy on all prey animals when Bonnie brings hers and Clyde's kids into this world.

* * *

The two wolves' thoughts of romance are then unexpectedly, and annoyingly, interrupted by a mother muskrat who pulls on Clyde's tail while speaking to get his attention.

 **Muskrat:** "Um, excuse me...? C-could you and your mate refrain from doing that in public?"

 **Clyde:** "WHAT?! Can't a guy make out wit his mate without bein' judged?!"

 **Muskrat:** "Of course you can. It's just that there's, uh," (points to her right) "impressionable children watching."

Bonnie and Clyde follow the muskrat's finger and see the rodent's three kids along with some young squirrels, fox kits, and eagle chicks starring wide-eyed and looking icked out. Too bad for them that Bonnie and Clyde have no qualms about shamelessly expressing their passionate love for each other, regardless of whoever is watching.

 **Bonnie** (while aggressively walking toward the muskrat like the thug she is) **:** "Dey's gotta learn about 'the talk' _someday_ , nightcrawler-tail."

Now stopped, Bonnie leans into the muskrat's face as the latter leans back in fear.

 **Bonnie:** "So why not sooner?"

 **Clyde** (puts a foreleg around Bonnie's shoulder while guiding her away from the muskrat) **:** "Easy, Bonnie, deese pipsqueaks just don't know what true love really is. Let's you n' me go somewhere... _private_." (Winks)

 **Bonnie** (mood instantly lightens and looks at Clyde with come-hither eyes) **:** "And I thought _my_ former name was 'Temptress.' "

 **Clyde:** "I learned move-makin' from the best."

 **Bonnie:** "Then what're we waitin' for?"

 **Clyde:** "Follow me."

The wolves then leave the playground area, much to the pleasure of the animals in it. As Bonnie and Clyde continue to travel in the areas where other prey lives, they continue their talks of romance instead of sneaking, which causes any listeners to turn away in disgust. However, this too is part of the ruse to divert anyone's attention from Bonnie and Clyde. When those two are out of ear- and eye-shot of the animals living outside of the playground's boundaries, Bonnie remarks, "That's what I like about bein' high on da food chain. Prey'll believe anything we say like suckers just because we's predators."

* * *

Despite how fun it is for Bonnie and Clyde to lessen suspicion in their way, the two have no choice but to stop talking and start sneaking when they are within range of Track's hearing. Clyde smells like weasels and Bonnie smells like opossums, so they will blend in well with the surrounding flora and fauna. It doesn't take them long to arrive at a place where their excellent wolf eyes can see the hedgies' log and living area. But because there are two wolves this time, Bonnie and Clyde nod at each other and split up to look at Track's temporary lodging from different vantage points, with Clyde staying on the straight path and Bonnie circling around on the right path. After finding a good hiding spot, each wolf can see the same animals that Dillinger described, which means that the same ones who weren't present when Dillinger observed haven't returned yet either. The food pile has also mysteriously increased, with more raw meat in it than foods that the omnivores would eat. Finally, Track is now laying on the ground in front of the large TV, watching a crime drama show. The other animals are sitting next to him, and he still has the same raccoon-possum hybrid in his clutches.

Just as Bonnie and Clyde wonder why Track would allow the prey animals any form of entertainment, one of the male porcupine teenagers speaks up.

 **Quillo** (groaning in boredom and annoyance) **:** "Can't we change the channel to something else? We've been watching this show nonstop ever since we hooked up the digital cable..."

 **Kale:** "All'uv ya's either watch the show I choose, or go back ta helpin' dee others get me my food."

 **Rachel:** "Wait, it's not fair if we all have to quit watching just because Quillo is getting sick of the show."

For some reason, Rachel's comment causes the others to gasp and turn to look at her in shock. At the same time, Kale presses the power button on the remote at his left forepaw to turn the TV off with an electronic _Zap!_

 **Kale:** " 'Not fair'?"

Everyone except Rachel (and Mary who is still in Kale's grip) moves back so that she and Kale are the only two in the row in front of the TV. To Bonnie and Clyde, it's apparent that Track has gone over certain procedures with his prey animal slaves, but not all as his next order indicates.

 **Kale:** "Bring 'er ta me!"

Luby had been sitting closest to Rachel, and walks beside the porcupine to take the teenager's arm as the raccoon guides her to be in front of Kale. He waits for Luby to leave Rachel's side before addressing the frightened rodent before him.

 **Kale** (angry) **:** " ' _Not_ — _ **Fair'?!...**_ You's have NO right ta say 'not fair!' None of ya's know what 'not fair' is, not like I do! 'Not fair' is bein' called 'Track' as an insult by my own family and friends every single day! 'Not fair' is losin' ya's parents at dee age of 10! 'Not fair' is tryin' ya's hardest ta become a betta hunter, only ta fail, which allows the teasings ta continue! 'Not fair' is livin' wit a spoiled-brat-of-a godsister who can't stop rubbin' in her successes and mocking my failures over and over, and no one bothers ta make her stop! 'Not fair' is finally getting' da chance ta prove that I'm not longer a kid and can lead others, only to have all'uv my plans fall apart to a bunch'a prey animal kids! 'Not fair' is breakin' both of my legs and havin' my pack of friends and family leave me behind! And 'not fair' is havin' ta rely on da same animals who got me inta dis predicament ta help me get betta, somethin' a predator should never do! Now, do you's understand what 'not fair' _really_ is?!"

 **Rachel** (petrified and while trembling like she's in Antarctica during the winter) **:** "Y-y-y-yes."

 **Kale:** "Good! Now get _back_ ta you's spot. Ya's blockin' my view!"

As he said "back," Kale back-hands Rachel in the face, which knocks her to the ground with a yelp. She then scurries away frantically on all fours when he's done speaking, rubbing her left cheek that would have a visible red mark on it if it was made of only skin. The fur is still ruffled, though, and Quillo gently stokes his girlfriend's uninjured side to comfort her. The suddenness of Track's abuse to her even causes Bonnie and Clyde to jump from surprise. The two wolves still have yet to confirm everything Track had told his brothers, but they can at least admit that the kid has certainly become a stronger guy ironically after his failed hunt. But each wonders why Track didn't kill the porcupine to set a better example.

 **Kale:** "Well, what're the rest of ya's waitin' for? Keep watching the tube!"

After he turns the power back on, the others slowly creep back to where they had originally been sitting. When they sit back down, Kale cranes his head over to Rachel again.

 **Kale:** "I didn't kill ya's, 'cuz I'm inna betta mood today, what with all of ya's parents and friends gettin' me more food and whatnot. So be thankful."

Rachel nods and resumes watching the TV with the rest of her family and friends. Three more minutes go by, and Kale speaks again when a commercial comes on.

 **Kale:** "Where the heck're dee other rodents in ya's family? Dey should'a been back here with da next food load by now..."

 **Heather:** "Maybe they're taking a little longer because they'll bring back more than usual."

 **Kale** (in a voice of sick amusement) **:** " _Or_ maybe a car turned 'em inta roadkill. I did send 'em out during a time'a day when humans are frequently on da road."

Most of the animals present know he's just messing with them, but the thought sends a chill down at least one of the younger one's spine.

 **Bernard:** "Mommy...? Are daddy and the rest really okay?"

 **Heather:** "Of course they are, Bernard. The wolf is just playing with your head."

 **Kale:** "Keep in mind dat's not _all_ about you's that I can play with."

Bernard makes a fearful gasp and then crawls into Heather's pouch.

 **Kale:** "Keep ya'self where I can see ya, mutant!"

 **Heather:** "Don't worry, he can't go anywhere else."

Track scoffs as if offended.

 **Kale** (with steel behind his words) **:** "Come here."

Heather walks forward and gets in front of the wolf, her heart racing even though her body language indicates she isn't intimidated.

 **Kale:** "Closer."

Heather takes three steps so that she's 12 inches away from the wolf.

 **Kale:** "Closer..."

Heather can no longer physically hide her fear when she is within biting distance of Kale. The others also turn to where they can see Kale and Heather, anxious and afraid to see what he will do to her. With a sudden, quick motion, Kale leans his head forward so that his teeth are grazing the opossum's fur when he speaks.

 **Kale** (yelling) **:** "Do I have ta bite a hole in ya mommy's pouch, or are you's gonna do what I say?! You's got two seconds ta—"

Bernard crawls out of Heather's pouch before the wolf can finish his threat, more afraid for his mother than he is for himself.

 **Kale:** "Maybe a 'lil hostage swappin' will teach ya ta follow my commands when I first give them."

Track doesn't wait for anyone to process what his words mean, he simply shoves Mary forward with his right paw while he grabs and reels in Bernard with his left paw, the whole process taking one second. Mary runs over to Heather and the two embrace, a sight that makes Bernard instantly wish he could be there with them. But he knows that his disobedience has gotten him in this situation. He's never had trouble obeying his parents or aunts and uncles, but the wolf's demands are stricter than anything the opossaccoon will probably ever have to follow. If he lives through this, he will have a new respect for his parents' demands because at least those don't involve his life.

Speaking of his parents, all eyes—including the two wolf observers'—turn to the sounds of rustling leaves coming from the hedge. A few moments later, RJ, Verne, Velma, Lou, Penny, Hammy, Rick, Tiger, the bat family, Rogan, Sarah, and Rebecca enter into the main living area with two wagon loads of food. One wagon is full of meat and the other is full of snacks and cookies, but each wagon is only half the height of a usual food load for this family of animals.

Now, Bonnie and Clyde can confirm the presence of the other animals that Track told Luciano and Bugsy about, but there are other aspects that must be checked too. First: why is Track letting the prey animals gather food for themselves instead of only the leftover meat that he eats? Second: why aren't said animals resisting Track's bossiness? The ones coming in also see that Bernard is now being held by Track, but don't voice their opinions about that. One, however, has something he wants to say, and he approaches Kale to say it.

 **RJ** (vexed tone) **:** "Here's your next serving of food, _your **highness**_."

 **Kale:** "I like da news and the title, but not da way ya said it. Is dare a problem?"

 **RJ:** "Yes. You've been having us go on raid after raid to get more than enough food for you, too much food really. There's no way even your entire wolf pack could eat this much meat, let alone yourself."

 **Bonnie and Clyde thinking:** " _Dis coon has a lot ta learn about wolves, and especially our pack. I could—pun intended—wolf all'uv da meat down by myself._ "

 **Kale:** "What can I say? I wanna be well-stocked. And it's hard work makin' ya's work hard. Makes me hungry. Deal with it."

 **RJ:** "I can deal with that. But what I _can't_ deal with is that every time I'm not within eyesight of you, I have to fear that you'll eat my son or daughter!"

 **Kale** (smiles and while stroking Bernard's head sinisterly like that James Bond villain with a pet cat) **:** "Dat's right. Ya do. It's your penalty for havin' hybrid kids, and bein' da brains behind dis 'family's' heist plans."

RJ briefly grimaces at how his raccoon intelligence, pride, and years of experience in stealing from humans has all been turned against him and his family. He would have ended it there, afraid that any further objections would make things worse than they already are, but then Kale adds insult to injury.

 **Kale:** "Not ta mention you heisters are late, so it'll be a food reduction for you's."

 **Heisters in unison:** "What?!"

 **Kale:** "You's heard me loud n' clear."

 **RJ:** "That's another thing. You haven't let any of us raiders have a bite to eat of our own. It's been one raid after the other without any breaks for rest or food. So it's physiologically impossible for us to meet the pace that you're setting!"

 **Kale:** "A: we's animals who's got no school ta go to, so drop da science class lessons from here on, kay? B: you's lucky I even allow ya's ta get food for ya'selves so dat you's'll be in shape ta take care of me, and to keep goin' on more raids ta provide us all somethin' ta eat. Do I need ta make some of my other slaves destroy the food you've gotten for them, and have ya go on more heists to get ya's food back?"

RJ's tempter lessens at the warning, while his eyes and voice tone indicates grim, unfair acceptance.

 **RJ:** "No..."

 **Kale:** "Glad ta hear it. Now put the meat in da spare cooler."

RJ stands his ground, willing to be defiant, but is escorted away by Verne who puts his hands on the mammal co-leader's shoulders.

 **Verne** (whispering) **:** "Come on, RJ, think of Bernard."

 **RJ** (whispering) **:** "That's exactly why I'm having a hard time keeping my cool."

 **Kale** (matter-of-factly) **:** "I can still hear ya's. Just so ya's know."

That's it. RJ nudges Verne off of his shoulders and starts stomping toward Track with his shoulder hunched, his paws at his side clenched into fists, and his head lowered but with a sharp and rage-induced gaze that locks onto the wolf's own face with the threat level of being painted by a military laser target designator.

The raccoon just wanted one moment where his mind could be at peace, one moment where the wolf doesn't say anything snarky, one moment where he can speak to someone else without any additional commentary from the canine. But Kale takes great steps to ensure that nothing in RJ's life belongs to the raccoon anymore: his family of friends, his mate and kids, or even his own mind. Instead, everything belongs to Kale. Even in his own little world, the wolf invades his personal constitution. That makes Kale worse than Vincent, and he's three times younger than that bear when the ursine's cold-bloodedness was at its peak.

When RJ stops 12 inches away from Track, Bonnie and Clyde raise an eyebrow and muse, " _Dis'll be interesting..._ "

 **Kale** (insulting melodrama) **:** "Oo-ooo! I'm so afraaa'aaaid!" (Insulting rhetoric) "What're ya gonna do, huh? Bite me ta give me rabies? Climb on me?"

He waits for RJ to respond, but nothing happens. No one else even tries to make him get a grip because they actually fear for their own safety. They can tell from RJ's expression that he. Is. _**Mad**_.

 **Kale** (normal voice tone) **:** "But seriously, though, what's ya problem?"

 **RJ:** "You. You're my problem."

 **Kale:** "Well, whoop de doo...There's nothin' you can do about it, and ya know very well why dat is."

Track extends his pointer claw and lets the nail rub across Bernard's stomach, making the kit whimper in fear.

 **Kale:** "So take a chill pill and join the rest in unloadin' da food. You's know da consequences for not listenin' ta me."

 **RJ:** "Why _should_ I listen to you?! Ever since our deal on the night we met, you've been making my life so horrible that maybe I _would_ prefer death! You've been controlling everything that ever means something to me. My possessions, my food, my home, my family! _My daughter_ and _my son!_ But no more! There's only one of you and 32 of us, and we've beaten a bear and two lunatic verminators! So what're _**you**_ gonna do about it?!"

His words visibly stiffen the spines of the others, as their expressions and bodies go from fear, to courage, to defiance. Even Bonnie and Clyde feel a little nervous for Track, and each gets in a stance that will be ready to charge if it appears that Track might lose the imminent brawl. But Kale only seems more amused by this, rather than threatened.

 **Kale:** "I'm gonna eat ya son, dat's what."

That remark sucks out all of the fortitude the others just gained; the light snuffed out before it had barely begun. They are unwilling to risk the life of even one of their family members and/or friends. But one of them has reached the breaking point, and will do whatever it takes to end the wolf's cocky reign of terror.

 **RJ:** "If you eat Bernard, you'll lose your leverage. Then what's stopping us from hurting you?"

 **Kale:** "You won't let dat happen, 'cuz you don't wanna lose ya only son."

 **RJ:** "My mate and I can always have more kids to replace Bernard."

The other's gasp while Bonnie and Clyde muse, " _Dis is gettin'_ really _interesting..._ "

 **Mary:** "NO, daddy!"

 **Heather** (outraged) **:** "RJ!"

RJ goes "OW!" as Heather slaps him in the face.

 **Heather:** "How dare you say that!"

 **RJ:** "For the love of—Why couldn't you just play along? Like a possum playing possum?!"

 **Heather** (gasps) **:** "You mean, you didn't really mean it?"

 **RJ:** "Of course not! But that was our only chance of turning the tables on him, and _you_ blew it!"

 **Ozzie:** "Don't talk to my daughter like that, RJ."

 **RJ:** "She's _my_ mate, old man. She _has_ to listen to me no matter how I talk to her!"

 **Sarah:** "Rogan Junior, that's no way to talk to your father-in-law!"

 **RJ:** "Fine! If none of you are man enough to rid us of this wolf, then I guess I'll have to do it alone!"

 **Kale:** "Go ahead and try. I'll just eat ya son."

 **RJ:** "I'm so sick and tired of putting up with you that maybe it'll be a necessary sacrifice after all!"

Bernard gasps while his eyes water at his father's cold remark, and everyone looks at RJ as if the raccoon is a demon. But one among them keeps her cool and responds evenly.

 **Rebecca:** "Calm down, RJ."

 **RJ:** " _You_ calm down, Becca! You and everyone else without kids don't know what I'm going through."

 **Marilyn:** "No, we don't, and I can't even see what's going on. But that's no reason to want to sacrifice Cousin Bernard just to attack the wolf."

 **RJ:** "I'm not gonna to attack him, I'm gonna kill him!"

When RJ turns back to look at Kale, Hammy is in between the two, cutting the raccoon off.

 **RJ:** "Outta the way, Hammy!"

 **Hammy:** "No, RJ! You're acting worse than a bully, you're acting like a killer. And the victim is gonna be Bernard."

 **RJ** (while looking down at Hammy like a starving vulture) **:** "I said out of my way," (While shoving Hammy aside) "you dumb, little!—"

Before RJ can turn his maddening gaze back at Kale, Rick and Lou grab the raccoon's left and right arms respectively to restrain him. When he keeps struggling, Stella approaches him from the front and knees him in the gut. The blow doesn't seem to faze him, which is why Luby joins Stella in tackling RJ to the ground and pinning him there. He still struggles, but stops when Penny comes up to him, quilled-tail-first.

 **Penny:** "Don't make me do it, RJ."

 **Kale:** "Looks like pet dogs aren't dee only animals that need leashes."

The animals not restraining RJ glare at Kale for saying such an insensitive remark. But the glare that he returns back at them, coupled with his forepaw starting to tighten around Bernard, makes them stop giving him hard looks. As for RJ, the fire in his eyes still burns, until they are diverted to the side as Heather walks up.

 **Heather:** "RJ, please love. You're acting like a whole different person from the one I married."

 **Verne:** "Not to mention you told her and everyone else here that you loved your kids with every microcell in your body. You also promised Bernard and Mary that you would never abandon them. But you did just that when you were willing to let Bernard die for your revenge."

 **Heather:** "If that's how you really feel, if your desires are more important than the lives of our son and daughter, then I'm divorcing you."

Kale is watching the unfolding drama in sick amusement, taking much pride in how his control over them is making them turn on each other. But Verne's and Heather's words finally start talking the sense back into RJ. He takes some deep breaths, each one relaxing his body and temper. His eyes turn from bloodthirsty to calm, and especially shame.

 **RJ** (regretful tone) **:** "Don't worry about that, Heather. I'm feeling better now..."

Luby and Stella get off of him and let him get to his feet. RJ then looks deeply into Heather and says in a whimpering voice, "And I'm _**SO**_ sorry."

She wraps her arms around him and lets him nuzzle her shoulder while also wiping away his tears.

 **RJ:** "I was so angry...so stressed...so stupid that I forgot about my love for your and our kids." (Looks at Mary) "C'mon Mary, daddy needs a hug...and for you to accept my apology of caring more about hurting Kale than about you and your brother's life."

 **Mary:** "It's okay, daddy, I forgive you."

When the three are finished hugging, RJ looks back down at Mary.

 **RJ:** "I have a big favor to ask you. Can you go back to Kale so he can let go of Bernard? I need to speak to him and hug him more than ever now."

Given her age, Mary is not only afraid of the wolf, but also tired of being the canine's hostage. She had been in Kale's grasp all day and wanted to spend more time with her parents and friends, however monitored that time would be. But even her young and childish mind understands that her father has to make amends with Bernard personally, so she nods and says, "Okay, daddy."

When she approaches Kale, though, the wolf pulls Bernard closer to him.

 **Mary:** "I know you heard what daddy told me."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, but why should I allow it? Dis whole drama has been very entertainin', so why not keep it goin' by riskin' your freak-brother dying without his daddy tellin' him how sorry he is?"

 **Velma:** "Come on, even _you_ have a heart."

 **Kale:** "I'm a wolf. I don't have a heart, but I sure like eatin' others' hearts."

He holds his ground and hostage for five seconds before sighing and rolling his eyes.

 **Kale:** "Ah, alright..."

Just when Bonnie and Clyde are about to write Track off as a weakling who isn't being as hard on the critters as his story to his brothers stipulated, Track adds something else.

 **Kale** (to Bernard) **:** "But I want ya's back when he's done, capeesh?"

Bernard nods frantically, and both he and Mary swap places. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Clyde appreciate that Track is being hard on them.

 **RJ** (squats down and has his arms open) **:** "C'mere, son."

Bernard runs up to his father...only to start hitting him with his arms raised as high as he can and with his fists clenched. Being a small kid, his blows don't do any harm—physically. But both his actions and words harm RJ psychologically.

 **Bernard:** "Why did you say those things, daddy?! I thought you loved me!"

 **RJ:** "I _do_ love you, son. I was angry when I said that stuff. You know how I say things I don't really mean when I'm angry."

Bernard continues as if RJ hadn't said anything, meaning he is ignoring his dad's honest and compassionate words.

 **Bernard:** "You love Mary more than me! I _knew_ you did!"

 **RJ:** "I love each of you the same, and you know that."

 **Bernard:** "You wanted the wolf to eat me! I don't love you anymore! I hate you!"

 **Heather:** "Bernard! Daddy's—"

 **RJ:** "No, Heather...He has every right to be mad. Let him take it out on me."

 **Bernard:** "This is why I love mommy more than you! She's nicer, let's me do more things, and has a pouch to go into!"

 **RJ:** "I know that I let you down, son. I know that you may never want to speak to me again. When I said I wouldn't mind if Kale ate you, I was speaking from my temper, not from my heart. I can't take back what I said, but know that I _do_ love you. Remember what I told you when you fell from a tree when you were two-years-old? I said that I've got you, I'm here for you, and I love you...with all of my heart."

 **Bernard:** "That's a lie! I wanna go back to the wolf! Not because he told me to, but because I don't wanna be around you!"

RJ sighs while his facial expression and body slump down as if he is a thousand years old.

 **RJ** (depressed tone) **:** "Then go to him, Bernard...If that's what you really want."

Bernard doesn't hesitate, he goes back to Kale who doesn't even have to carefully swap him out with Mary. But his sister, unlike everyone else, isn't going to let what Bernard said to their dad go away without a fight.

 **Mary:** "How could you be so mean to daddy?"

 **Bernard:** "You weren't the one who he offered to let the wolf eat."

 **Kale:** "Alright, alright. Go back ta ya's parents, she-freak." (Looks at the hedgies) "As for all of you's, let's drop all talk about dis little incident and have dinner now."

 **Verne** (faces Kale and speaks in empathizing calmness) **:** "Look, we've all had a stressful day—"

 **Kale** (in rhetorical cockiness) **:** "What're you talkin' 'bout? Dis is the life for me! Here, lordin' over all of ya's, I'm enjoyin' a privilege dat I never could with my pack. It almost makes me never wanna leave."

The animals' eyes widen at that horrific notion. Slaving for this wolf for the rest of their lives is worse than being imprisoned at Verm-Tech for life. With the latter scenario they at least don't have to serve their captors, they would just stay in a cage all day and night. But Bonnie and Clyde can tell that Track is just joking to make the preys' lives more miserable. What wolf wouldn't do that? At this point, they want to leave right now and call it a day right then and there. They have stayed much longer than scheduled, and have observed enough to confirm that Track's story about how he is using the animals at said animals' expense is true. However, they are so invested in the conflict that they just have to stay to see how things turn out.

 **Bonnie and Clyde thinking:** " _Now_ dis _is entertainment! Let our pack keep waitin' for me._ "

 **Verne:** "—But in order for us to even focus on eating, RJ needs to get the baggage he's carrying off his chest. There are others he owes an apology to."

 **Kale:** "Wait until before we go ta sleep after dinner. If anyone refuses ta eat, it's dare problem if they wake up in da mornin' half-starved."

Verne looks back at the others who nod at him. He grins briefly and then turns back to look at Kale.

 **Verne:** "Then we wanna go to bed right now, without any dinner."

 **Kale** (to Verne) **:** "Humph, okay." (Raised voice) "Alright you's worthless varmints, you know the drill: get me back inta the log and barricade me in with the hybrid." (To Bernard) "Da noise you or they make from tryin' ta remove da packages will wake me up before ya can es'cape."

Bernard nods while gulping in fear.

 **Kale:** "While me and my hostage sleep in da comfy log, all of you's get the uncomfortable trees ta sleep in. And if I find any food packages that've been eaten as a midnight snack when I wake up in da morning, then those who did it aren't gettin' any breakfast." (After seeing the others nod at him) "Then what're ya's waitin' for? Get to it!"

His command is followed without hesitation, and once Kale is barricaded, RJ finally continues his apologies to the others.

 **RJ:** "Ozzie, I'm—"

 **Ozzie:** "Say no more, RJ. You broke down and had a tantrum."

 **RJ:** "For a grown raccoon like me, that's unacceptable."

 **Sarah:** "Stop being hard on yourself, son."

 **RJ:** "No, mom. I'm 32-years-old and had a tantrum like a five-year-old. It's inexcusable, but I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice."

 **Sarah:** "I know you won't, RJ."

RJ nods, then faces the ones who had restrained who are already waiting for him.

 **RJ:** "Thanks for holding me back, Rick and Lou. And for knocking me to the ground, Luby and Stella. And for keeping me there, Penny. If none of you did that, I would've kept charging for Kale and he'd have killed Bernard...Who would've died thinking all of those things he made me out to be. But this way, he can calm down and we can make it up to each other."

 **Rick:** "Anytime, Bro."

 **Lou:** "You're a super wiggle-worm too, RJ."

 **RJ** (chuckles) **:** "Thanks, Lou."

 **Stella:** "I still think what you said to Bernard is inexcusable. I thought me and the others taught you better than that when givin' you parenting advice. Just don't try nothin' like that again, or I'm gonna knock the wind outta you and then knock the wind back _into_ you with this." (Points to her raised tail)

 **RJ** (shudders at that horrific thought) **:** "Y-yeah...I'll keep that in mind."

 **Stella** (shakes a fist at RJ) **:** "You better."

 **Penny:** "Don't worry, RJ. I'm sure Bernard will find it in his heart to forgive you."

 **RJ:** "But when he does, it'll have to be in his own time. I won't force it."

 **Tiger:** "As the saying in my home country goes, 'Ba'zan alef abna' kharabee avan ashoftan abavan anha ershad abna ahval -avardan ahsan ash- abavan.' "

Numerous blank stares at Tiger (including from the two unseen wolf overseers) prompts him to translate.

 **Tiger:** "Oh, um 'Sometimes it is our failures at being parents that instructs us how to best be parents.' "

 **RJ:** "I'll make sure to remember that, Tiger."

 **Note:** **Tiger's translation is the real transliteration for the phrase he quoted in Persian (گاهی اوقات، شکست ما در داشتن والدین است که ما را به نحوی که بهترین والدین را هدایت می کنند، آموزش می دهد), and are NOT words I made up as a gag.**

RJ then walks over to Rebecca, who nudges Marilyn so that the bat turns around to where she is facing RJ's direction.

 **RJ:** "Rebecca...Marilyn...I didn't mean to shut out you two, and I should have listened to you both.

 **Rebecca:** "No offense, but that's the thing about you, RJ. You really let your anger get the better of you."

RJ nods while swallowing.

 **Marilyn** (while tapping Rebecca on the shoulder) **:** "And you of all people should know that." (To RJ) "But we know you didn't really mean it."

 **RJ:** "Even so, when you two have kids, make sure you never say to them what I said..."

 **Rebecca:** "You can count on it."

 **Marilyn:** "And that's a promise."

Next, RJ approaches the waiting Hammy and says, "Hammy, I didn't say 'stupid,' but calling you 'dumb' is just as bad."

 **Hammy:** "Like Ozzie said, you didn't really mean it. I can't believe that Bernard couldn't see it."

 **RJ:** "He's too angry."

 **Hammy:** "Aw, that reminds me, I can't eat any cookies until breakfast...!"

 **RJ:** "But you _have_ to wait Hammy."

 **Hammy:** "I will, RJ. For you and Bernard."

RJ smiles at how even someone as zany as Hammy has the intelligence to understand the inner turmoil that now exists between father and son. And saving the most important for last, RJ walks up to Heather.

 **RJ:** "Where do I even begin...? I mean it, I've said so much to you and our kids today that I don't know how to start my apology."

 **Heather:** "Just say that you're sorry again."

 **RJ:** "I'm sorry...again."

 **Heather:** "Come here, honey."

The two enter a deep kiss, letting their passion for one another, as symbolized by their moving lips and tongues, fill in the gaps of words that will go unsaid. When they break away, the two speak as if they had already stated and forgave the things RJ had done today.

 **RJ:** "I promise that I will never do or say anything that will make you want to divorce me, ever again."

Heather's eye twinkles as she has a perfect way of affirming the vow that RJ is making.

 **Heather:** "For the rest of our lives."

RJ mirrors Heather's eye twinkle as he understands where she is going with this.

 **RJ:** "As long as we both shall live."

 **RJ and Heather in unison:** "Till death do we part."

After a quick kiss, RJ then leans down and picks up Mary who he hugs and kisses on the cheek.

 **RJ:** "Mary...If you're mad at me for any reason, it's perfectly okay."

 **Mary:** "But I'm not mad at you anymore, daddy. I know you love me and Bernard equally, just as the two of us love you and mommy equally."

 **RJ:** "That means more to me than you know, Mary. Thank you. I love you."

 **Mary** (smiles) **:** "Me too, daddy."

As soon as they finish kissing each other on the cheek, Kale's voice echoes from inside the log.

 **Kale:** "Shut up, already! I'm tryin' ta sleep!"

RJ gives an annoyed expression while sighing, but this time doesn't let his anger with the wolf turn him into a horrible father and mate. Never again will he let that happen. He admittedly doesn't feel at complete peace, not until Bernard forgives him, but that will have to wait for another time. Right now, he and his immediate family head into the trees and find a spot to lie down.

* * *

As for Bonnie and Clyde, they finally have enough "intel" and can return to their pack's dwelling. They wait until the omnivores and herbivores are sound asleep and then head out quietly. As they do that, they also find it most amusing how Track has turned this family and friends of animals against one another, making them tear at each other's throats instead of Track's. True to Track's words (via Bugsy and Luciano) he is indeed using these animals, and using them in the way a wolf should be. His dominance and threats are unquestionable, his ruthlessness is pure, and his control is undeniable. The reasons for why more than half the animals weren't present during Dillinger's observation, why Track is allowing them to obtain food for themselves, why the latter sleep in trees, and why Track is barricaded in the log when sleeping are clear as the sky above Bonnie's and Clyde's heads.

But there is one new discrepancy that took place during the heated exchange: although the emotions of the animals were genuine, when the raccoon named RJ buried his head in the possum Heather's shoulder to cry, there weren't any tears. Bonnie and Clyde both noticed this, and once they're out of earshot of the animals and voice this discrepancy, they converse about it.

 **Bonnie:** "Wha'd'ya think it means, babe?"

 **Clyde:** "I think somethin' smells funny...and it sure ain't da skunk and its hybrid offspring."

 **Bonnie** (while nudging Clyde in congratulations) **:** "Heh-heh, good one, lover." (Stops and looks him in the face) "But in all seriousness, I find it kinda hard to believe da coon was fakin'."

 **Clyde:** "And if he was, why would he?"

 **Bonnie:** "More like, _how_ would he?"

 **Clyde:** "Anyhoo, we've done our part. We's da last shift for today, so let's return home, report what we saw, and let the next day's shift worry about dis minor detail."

Bonnie nods and the two continue on their way. Clyde finds himself silently appreciating the plan that the Bone-Chomper Pack came up with. The first two observation shifts would happen back-to-back, the third would happen the day after tomorrow, which gave Track and the animals plenty of time to grow overconfident that no more wolf observers would come, should they somehow catch on to the pack's plan (which is almost impossible). This means the prey and Kale would be caught in the act if they have been only pretending. But with the exception of the raccoon not actually crying, Bonnie and Clyde both find it impossible to think that the family drama and stress that Track has placed on the prey is anything but true. Regardless, the fourth shift would happen several hours after the third, instead of immediately after it, and the fifth shift would happen two days later, and be the only shift for that day. They have yet to devise the timing of any shifts after the fifth, because those would depend on the pack analyzing any downsides from the time frames they chose, and whether or not more discrepancies come up with Track's story to his brothers and the other wolves' observations.

Clyde's thoughts are then interrupted by an odd but not unfamiliar scent coming from his mate.

 **Clyde:** "You's okay, baby?"

Bonnie smiles on the inside while thinking, " _That's da thing about wolves, it's hard ta conceal any scent from 'em. But den again, I_ wanted _him ta notice._ "

 **Bonnie** (raises her eyebrows up and down three times) **:** "Oh, Cly—yde...?"

Though he has a hunch of what his new mate might be getting at, Clyde decides to indulge her by acting clueless but not too clueless, because she always finds him cuter whenever he does that.

 **Clyde** (slowly turning his head and shooting three eyebrow raises back at her) **:** "Ye—essss...?"

 **Bonnie:** "It might just be da thrill from dee observation we just did—workin' together, bein' stealthy, with da chance of springin' inta action if we was noticed—but...I's feel like somethin' is missin'. Somethin' that'll make our assignment feel more fulfilling."

 **Clyde:** "And dat is...?"

 **Bonnie** (walks up to whisper into his left ear) **:** "We're still stalemated, and we's don't have ta be back home immediately."

Clyde's agreement to his mate's proposal is symbolized by his smirk, and the two distance themselves from each other by 10 feet.

 **Clyde:** "You's know da rules."

 **Bonnie** (nods) **:** "Dare are _no_ rules."

 **Clyde:** "Den may da best wolf win."

 **Bonnie:** "Come 'n get sum!"

The two charge and the duel commences.

Bonnie and Clyde have wrestled so many times in the past that one would think that they knew every trick up the other's nonexistent sleeves. However, that's only what each wants the other to think, for nothing can be further from the truth. That's why Bonnie, who expects her mate to leap into the air to attack her from up top, is caught off guard when Clyde slides under her and then heaves her up with all his might like a shoveler. She lands on her left side and uses a new trick of her own by pushing off with her forelegs. This makes her land flat on her back, but makes Clyde run straight past her because he had intended to tackle into her from the shoulder-up. He quickly turns around just as she rolls over and gets on her four paws, the fight starting back at square one. Only now, each must regard the other with more caution and respect.

 **Clyde:** "Dat's a nice new move."

 **Bonnie:** "You weren't too shabby ya'self."

 **Clyde:** "I've been wantin' ta do dat to ya since I was a pup."

 **Bonnie:** "Sure. Which was just dis mornin'!"

Well, maybe not respect, because _that_ definitely hurts his pride. He comes for her at full speed, and Bonnie is confident that his rage will make him more predictable...which is her mistake. She sidesteps out of the way with a spin, only for Clyde to predict her move like a pro and ram into her, knocking her back to the ground. She is so surprised by his clear-headed tactic that she remains motionless as he speaks.

 **Clyde:** "You's talk dirty. I's fight dirti _er_!"

Bonnie tries rolling out of the way, but isn't fast enough this time. When she stands back up Clyde lands on top of her, grabs her from behind, and digs his teeth into her shoulder. Even though the bite is meant to grip rather than cause any damage, it feels like a cyborg is clamping onto her. Knowing that Clyde could easily turn her in whichever way he wanted, Bonnie kicks her left hindleg like a donkey and hits him in his own left hindleg. Clyde loses his balance, but not his jaw's grip, so he yanks Bonnie down with him. She rolls again and makes him lose his grip on her when his muzzled face grinds against the ground. Bonnie then uses Clyde's "shovel" tactic against him, flipping him on his back and open for a pin. Before she can do that, Clyde flails all four legs outward as if doggie paddling, which wards Bonnie off from pinning him. Bonnie decides to take the risk and leaps up, intending to land on top of him. Even she is surprised when her tactic succeeds, but that's because Clyde stopped wriggling his legs and let her land on him—so that he can use all four legs to push her off. Both recover quickly and dart for each other again. Wanting to try something new to catch the opponent by surprise, one of the wolves rears up to stand on the hind legs—only to be startled that the other had intended the same tactic. With their minds distracted by this revelation, they bump into each other as if by accident and fall on the ground, with Clyde on top of Bonnie with his legs spread wide so that his feet are touching the ground instead of pinning her. Overcoming their surprise, and realizing that Clyde has the advantage, the two resume their wrestling match, with Bonnie grabbing Clyde and rolling over, and him doing the same thing to her.

It's no longer a wrestling match, but a dirt struggle, and a fierce and frantic one at that. The two focus only on pinning the other, which causes them to ignore their surroundings, even when they start rolling down a hill. The speed and angle at which they are moving increases, causing Bonnie to be flung two yards away from Clyde when they reach the bottom of the hill. Both are incredibly dizzy and it takes a minute or two for them to simply sit up. But the wolves refuse to quit, not until their stalemate changes into a victory for one and a defeat for the other. Their bodies, however, demand otherwise which is apparent at how they stagger toward each other erratically like a drunken human fresh off a beer-run. Clyde trips on a rock and Bonnie walks into a tree, and when they get up from that they see double and go after the imaginary wolf instead of the real one. After stumbling from their attack on the nonexistent wolf, their senses start coming back to normal. Unfortunately, with the return of those comes the aftereffects of their entire wrestling match. Their bodies start sweating bullets, the places where each had bit-gripped the other start feeling sore, and their energy is depleted.

They still walk toward each other, but by the time they get in attack range, Clyde says, "Truce?"

 **Bonnie:** "Truce."

She nods and the two drop flat on the ground, stalemated once again until their next rematch. They gaze at the sky as the first stars creep into the spreading darkness.

 **Clyde:** "Just so we's clear...If it weren't for dat hill...I would'a...made ya's _beg_ for me ta pin ya."

 **Bonnie:** "If it weren't for dat hill...I would'a... _beaten_ you's."

 **Clyde:** "Hardy-har...Keep dreamin', baby."

 **Bonnie:** "Keep fantasizin', babe."

The two smile and spend the next five minutes in silence as they rest up. Once all of Clyde's sweat dries, he gets up and walks over to Bonnie who sits up once she notices her mate's approach.

 **Bonnie:** "What is it?"

Clyde only smiles and his eyes gleam with mischief.

 **Bonnie** (raises an eyebrow and speaks in an invitingly confrontational tone) **:** "You game for anoth'a rematch?"

 **Clyde** (smoothly) **:** "Somethin' like dat..."

Before Bonnie can ask for clarity, Clyde's sparkling eyes and widening smile—both full of romance—tells her all she needs to know. She mirrors his look as she allows him to step into her personal space, and the two enter a kiss.

* * *

Shortly before Bonnie and Clyde's wrestling rematch, the omnivores and herbivores in the tress above the log open their eyes and raise their heads when they hear the muffled-echoey voice of Kale say, "Da coast is clear again."

The climbers quickly help non-climbers back down to the ground. And after RJ meets Bernard at the log's entrance/exit once he and his son remove the food packages from, all it takes in one comment to set the hedgies off.

 **RJ:** "Everyone, we are the most _extreme_ actors in the entire animal kingdom!"

That's when the celebration begins. Numerous cheers, high-fours, fist-bumps, hugs, and kisses erupt from the hedgies at how each and every one of them flawlessly pulled off their greatest charade. Thanks to Kale's exceptional sense of smell, he could tell something was odd long before Dillinger, and then Bonnie and Clyde, came within hearing distance of the log. Kale quickly told the others what he had said to his brothers when the latter tried to bring him back to the Bone-Chomper Pack—save for the fake promise that he will eat the animals once he's fully recovered—which gave the hedgies enough information to work with as they got things set up for the ultimate yet most convincing fake-out of all time.

With the exception of the physical violence, they were pretending all along, with everything they said and did. There were _some_ improvisations from a few that everyone else improvised along with, such as Kale threatening to crush Mary like a trash compacter, Kale telling RJ and Verne that he could hear them whispering to each other, RJ trying to rally the others to attack Kale, and Bernard saying he hated RJ. So at times, the animals were both acting and reacting, the seamless blend of both undoubtedly fooling the wolves who came to observe them.

 **Plushie:** "Who says that possums are the only animals capable of putting on a performance to trick enemies?—No offense, guys."

 **Ozzie, Heather, Mary and Bernard in unison:** "None taken."

 **Hammy:** "That was fun! We should do this more often!"

 **Stella:** "If what the wolf says about his pack is true, we'll do it again for sure."

During that dialogue, Kale just nods and smiles, instead of shouting in joy. He's glad that his plan worked, but uneasy that he had to trick members of his own pack. If they ever figured out the truth, he's dog meat...and so are the hedgies. He then wonders how Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde found him in spite of how he smells like prey animals, which should have thrown the Bone-Chompers off. That's when he remembers that his brothers aren't stupid; they were Bone-Chompers who remembered how to get to the log using sight in addition to smell. And if he knows his pack, this isn't going to be the last time they try to observe him. Furthermore, they will try to throw him off by coming at irregular time intervals, which means Kale and the animals must be ready to put on another performance with the speed of a minuteman.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Esas sanguijuelas malditas...Even here, livin' wit prey far from my home, I can't escape da close scrutiny of my pack._ "

 **Note:** **"Esas sanguijuelas malditas" means "Those cursed leeches" in Spanish. (Although it can also translate as "Those d**n leeches," I never use any profanity in my OTH stories. So I insist, with all my power as a writer, that it's the **_**former**_ **translation and NOT the latter one.**

 **De'Ausha:** "Wha'do'ya think, Kale?"

Kale goes, "Hm?" while quickly shaking his lead from right to left as he literally shakes his brooding away and focuses on what's going on in his immediate surroundings.

 **De'Ausha:** "I was talkin' about how awesome we was at trickin' those wolves and asked wha'do'ya think about it?"

 **Kale:** "Oh. Well, uh..."

In reality, Kale is very impressed with the other animals' ingenuity of faking out the drama. But even so, for Kale to sound just as convincing as them, he _did_ reveal a lot of his inner pain to the prey. His parents' deaths, his annoyance with Gabby, and how his pack picks on him all the time. Given what some of these animals have gone through, he gave them all the more reason to empathize with him, which will make him want to thank them more when they start lightening up to him. That's why he, a predator, doesn't want to give them, prey, a compliment that would make them think he is truly stunned by their talents.

 **Kale:** "Yeah, it was pretty good."

 **Emily:** " 'Pretty good'? We could've won Oscars for our performances!"

 **Verne:** "He probably means 'pretty good' for prey."

 **Mary** (to Kale) **:** "Wait, so you're saying you've put on an elab...um, elabo...?"

 **Heather:** "Elaborate."

 **Mary:** "Yeah, an elaborate show to fool predators too?"

 **Kale:** "I didn't say nothin' like dat."

 **Bernard:** "But did you ever _do_ something like that before?"

 **Kale:** "Never had to. I'm a predator, remember? I don't have ta fool oth'as, I just overpower and outsmart dem. And dat's the only reason we was able ta fool my fellow pack members. 'Cuz as a predator, I know how predators think, so don't pat ya'selves on da back too much."

 **Ozzie:** "Then for a kid who's never done something like that before, you sure were great at it."

Everyone catches the suspicion laced in Ozzie's voice, which causes them to turn and look at him with their heads tilted in curiosity. They know that he of all animals can judge any fake-out-performance critically, and now he's trying to call Kale out.

Eager to debunk the possum's mind games, Kale responds in a cocky tone.

 **Kale** (smirking) **:** "It's 'cuz I'm a wolf, old man. I'm bigger, stronger, faster, meaner, and smarter dan any of ya's put together."

Everyone rolls their eyes or sighs at the wolf's snarky attitude. But Ty doesn't take the wolf's ego lightly, and does something he normally does to his bossy big brother.

 **Ty** (rubbing-it-in tone) **:** "If you're all that, then why did your hunt fa—"

Before he can finish, Rick lightly taps the back of Ty's head to make him stop as he whispers, "Don't anger him, son."

It's obvious from the way he spoke that Rick is just as eager as everyone else to let Ozzie get out whatever else the possum has to say to the wolf, and ipso facto, Kale's response. Whether it's temporary or not, it's an odd yet profound change in the demeanor of one of the raccoons who has demonstrated a stern dislike for the canine. He turns to nod at Ozzie to indicate he wants the marsupial to continue.

 **Ozzie** (to Kale) **:** "You're only deceiving yourself. Talent like that doesn't just emerge out of the blue unless you're using some sort of inner pain you've been carrying to put your heart and soul into it."

Kale can feel his nerves being touched by Ozzie's comment, which rouses up his normal, angry self.

 **Kale:** "You literal nosey, snitch-rat! Mind ya's own beeswax!"

The wolf immediately gets a grip on his emotions by clearing his throat with an "Eh-hem," when he realizes his reaction only confirms what Ozzie was merely theorizing.

 **Ozzie:** "You know that I didn't mean to mock you."

 **Kale** (regular, non-angry tone) **:** "Get to da point."

 **Ozzie:** "All I'm saying is that you worked just as hard as anyone else, probably harder, to throw off your own pack members and mislead them about how you're allowing us to take care of you. Why is that? Why go to such great lengths to help us out?"

The others are just as stumped with Ozzie's words as the wolf is...The opossum knows—he _truly_ knows—what makes actors tick: where they find their motivation, the implications of their words and/or actions, and how circumstances around them play into the whole process.

 **Kale thinking:** " _I guess possums aren't as stupid as I thought, after all._ "

Nothing in his facial expression or voice tone indicates that, though.

 **Kale:** "I didn't do it for you's, I did it for myself. Ta make sure my pack won't kill me upon discoverin' that I lied to my brothers. I had just as much ta lose from dem catchin' on to the whole enchilada as all of you's did... _Duh-uh._ "

More eye-rolling from the prey animals at his own rubbing-it-in tone and word, confirms that his words are true. Still, unlike him, at least someone in the family believes in giving honest praise, even if the one it's directed toward is being a self-aggrandizing jerk.

 **RJ:** "Well, you still did a fabulous job, Kale. We couldn't have done it without you."

Kale nods "yes" while humming, "Hm," to show his reception of RJ's compliment. A pause follows, until who else but Hammy changes the direction of everyone's attention.

 **Hammy:** "I'm hungry. Is anyone else?"

That sets off a chain reaction as everyone's stomachs rumble.

 **Hammy:** "The tummies say 'yes'! I get first dibs on the cookies!"

 **Roger:** "No fair, Hammy you always call first dibs."

 **Luby:** "My son's got a point, you know."

 **Verne:** "Hammy, don't you think that a squirrel your age should let the children have the cookies first?"

 **Hammy** (pouty) **:** "Awwww!" (Sees the looks on the kids and talks in a submissive tone) "...Well, alright." (Regular happy-go-lucky tone) "But I'm the adult who gets first dibs on the cookies!"

The adults nod as they knows that's the best things will get in regard with cookies. Still, it's a major step in maturity for the man-child squirrel.

 **Penny:** "Sounds good. Let's eat!"

More cheers and the others head over to where the food is piled up, but are forced to stop when Kale speaks.

 **Kale:** "Not so fast. Tell me somethin'. How can ya's be so chill after a performance like that? Weren't _any_ of you's nervous of failin' ta convince my pack members?"

 **Tiger** (with dramatic paw motions) **:** "Like we said, we have plenty of experience with death-defying escapades in which we survived by the skin of our teeth. Compared to what we have faced in the past, our deception of the wolves is a cake walk."

 **Kale:** Well...I guess dat makes sense. But be on ya's guard, folks. My pack'll come by every now n' then ta check on me. So we's gotta be ready ta fool 'em again."

 **Rebecca:** "How often can we expect them to show up?"

 **Kale:** "They's too smart ta follow a regular pattern, and will try ta catch us off guard by comin' at random."

Kale expects his words to unsettle the group of animals, but to his surprise, they seem unconcerned and give him "yes"-nods before they turn back in the direction of the food pile. Although it's unintentional, the nonchalance of their actions makes Kale gets a taste of his own medicine like when he said "Duh-uh."

Wanting to replace that bad and annoying feeling with something more positive, Kale adds, "But I'll tell ya's when I smell 'em coming."

 **Bucky** (turns around and gives a thumbs-up) **:** "We appreciate it, dude. As long as we have your nose to tell us when more wolves are coming, we'll be ready to act out another scene before they get within hearing distance."

 **Kale:** "And can I have some burger meat and lamb chops dis time?"

 **Rebecca:** "Sure thing."

 **Bernard:** "But Aunt Becca, he didn't say 'please...' "

Rebecca takes a moment to ponder since she is still trying to get used to being called "Aunt," what with her being 16-years-old. She likes that it makes her have more authority over things in her life—what teenager wouldn't?—but it also makes her feel old. Not to mention that whenever RJ and Heather want some time to themselves, Rebecca is obligated to help Rogan and Sarah take care of her niece and nephew, which is a kind of responsibility Rebecca would prefer to happen when she gets older. As a teenager, she would prefer to spend time with her friends outside of the family, and getting to hang out more with a handsome 18-year-old raccoon named Garrett whom she has had a crush on for the past three months. Alas, her brother was 16 by the time she was born, already had his kids by the time she and her parents reunited with him 14 years later, and there's nothing she can do to change that.

 **Rebecca thinking:** " _I wonder if any other animals my age have to deal with this?_ "

But she can't deny that she finds a lot of joy in being an aunt, especially in the smiles she receives from Mary and Bernard whenever she gives them candy or jewelry, even though she's not supposed to. Speaking of her nephew, she answers his questions once she's done reflecting on her life as an aunt.

 **Rebecca:** "Oh, he's a wolf and isn't used to that." (While glancing over her shoulder to check if Kale is giving her a disgruntled look) "No offense."

Kale doesn't have any sour look on his muzzle and replies, "No prob. Da kid's right."

Even Eddie and Sharnese, despite their insistence on family devotion, never were big on teaching their sons eating manners. Each wolf in a pack simply eats their meal at once, taking a bite into whatever spot they get to first then work their way further into the fresh carcass. By the time he's finished remembering that information, the hamburger patties and lamb chops drop down in front of him, having been thrown by Rebecca from a yard away. She goes to join her family and Kale starts digging in, much quieter this time since he isn't starving and doesn't want to attract any attention.

His first thoughts are typical for a wolf. Despite the inherent dangers of failing to trick the three other wolves (which thankfully didn't happen), Kale has to admit it was an exciting feeling at how his plan outdid wolves that were at least twice his age and far more experienced than himself. The success of his deception proves that he isn't a foul-up as those very three wolves often accused him of being. He _is_ smart enough to be considered a true Bone-Chomper, instead of being just plain, old "Track." But then Kale sighs as he realizes that he can't mention that to anyone in his pack, lest he wants to be banished from it.

 **Kale thinking:** " _My one and only example that argues against dare thoughts on me, and I can't use it. Now dat's irony._ "

That negative thought makes him review the next thing in a less-positive light. Kale had told the prey animals that he went to all the trouble of duping his pack members for himself, not for his hosts, because he would be killed if his pack found out he had lied to his brothers. But if the group of animals could have truly read Kale's mind at the time he said those words, they would have been pleasantly surprised.

He had hidden it well, but Kale was mighty nervous when he said his response. He had been hoping that putting-his-heart-and-soul-into-it talent as the opossum called it was working to its full capacity as he answered with a lie. The hedgies rolling their eyes after he said "Duh-uh," confirmed that he succeeded. But now that he thinks further about it, it also makes him regret saying such a cold response. Still, as a wolf, his pride and longing to return to his pack demands that he has to avoid revealing his true feelings.

But deep down, he really did go to those great lengths to fool his pack because he finds himself starting to warm up to the hedgies. He still won't tell them he appreciates their efforts of helping him recover, and he certainly doesn't consider them as folks he could even become casual pals with, much less friends. However, they are truly more than meets the eye given their previous adventures and death-cheating close calls, which makes them interesting creatures for Kale to desire learning more about. As if their past isn't enough to pique one's intrigue, they took a huge risk gambling their fate on the strength of a wolf's words alone when he suggested what they had to do to deceive his pack members. While doing that, they played along like they never played along before, did exactly as he instructed, and went above and beyond with their own ideas. At any time, they could have stopped pretending, spilled the beans as a way to get rid of him, and climbed up into the trees to avoid the pack members as they killed him, but they didn't.

RJ had told him that they couldn't have done the charade without him, but it was really Kale who couldn't have pulled it off without their cooperation and willingness. Just as he thinks about how the animals owe him in that his nose is the only way they can succeed in the future, Stella's words from earlier re-enter his head. _Just keep in mind that none of this changes the fact that you still owe us. We're the ones who helped you, not you're pack_.

Kale knows he can't use those words against them, to tell them that they now owe him which makes everything between he and they even. True, the hedgies are indebted to him for alerting them and coming up with the backbone-ideas on how to trick his pack members, but Stella's words now have more relevance than ever before, since he again owes the prey for going along with his plan.

Furthermore, he didn't give them any words of true praise, which makes him feel a knot of guilt form in his gut. He shouldn't feel guilt, not for prey, but it's undeniably present within him. Then, he remembers that if he has anything to get off of his chest, RJ can listen to him and keep a secret. Kale will have to do so discretely, since asking to be left alone with RJ will raise too much suspicion among the others. But hopefully that will take away his guilt, because he doesn't want to spend the rest of his long recovery time here as if it's a chore. Otherwise, the stress will prevent him from getting better.

He then broods thoughts that, if ever spoken on any other day, would have resulted in a serious beat down.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Screw predator pride. If I'm gonna recover, I'm gonna feel comfortable while doing it._ "

That decision takes a load off of his chest. He doesn't have to become friends with the prey, but that also doesn't mean he can't try to enjoy his time away from the constant scrutiny of his pack. He may not be able to truly exert his dominance over the family of animals as a wolf should in the presence of prey, but if no one of the wolf-society-codes-abiding notices, then he doesn't have to mention his violation to anyone. He won't be able to eat real animals for a while, but the raw meat he's getting is a sufficient substitute. He'll have to endure the pain of the prey asking him random questions, but now that he's learned they're more interesting than he initially thought, maybe he can ask them some random questions of his own. He doesn't want to be seen with prey taking care of him, but they agreed to keep his secrets as long as he followed their rules.

So all things considered, Kale's predicament can neither get any better nor any worse...Or so he thinks.

* * *

The next day, the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack is waiting for the arrival of Bonnie and Clyde who were supposed to be back no longer than three hours after Dillinger returned. They waited up all night for no reason now, and needless to say that they're getting mighty impatient.

 **Emmy:** "Just where in da Sam Hill are dey?"

 **Luciano:** "You _sure_ dey didn't tell ya's they had other plans, Dill?"

Dillinger leers at Luciano while giving him a grumpy expression across his muzzle. Luciano is in just as bad of a mood because he and his brother didn't get to join their pack in the recent massacre, which makes him wear the same expression as Dillinger and to talk in a spiteful tone.

 **Luciano:** "Yeah, I know dis is the third time someone asked ya that, but dis is gettin' ridiculous."

 **Gabby:** "My leg'll fully heal at dis rate."

 **Capone:** "Ya think somethin' happened to 'em, boss? I mean, we's ain't dee only top predators around these parts."

Capone's comment actually does have merit. Even though the Bone-Chomper Pack's reputation has recovered slightly from their massacre of many prey animals, they have all been staying on high alert for any other predators who might be bold enough to try and take out the pack, what with the news of Track's disgraced hunt still fresh and circulating.

 **Leo:** "Dis is Bonnie and Clyde we're talkin' about. I'd be more concerned for whatever predator tried ta attack 'em, if that did in fact happen."

 **Bugsy:** "Wait a minute...*Sniff* You's smell somethin' funny?"

The other wolves raise their noses into the air and take a big whiff, and discover that indeed, there is a strange smell in the air. It's wolf pheromones, and from wolves that they know well. By the time they turn in the direction of paw prints on grass approaching, they know exactly what it means.

Bonnie and Clyde come walking in a few moments later.

 **Bonnie:** "Sorry we's late, we was—"

 **All wolves (even Dillinger) in unison:** "We know."

 **Leo:** "So there's no hard feelin's. Anyway, Dillinger has informed us of what he observed, what did you's two discover?"

 **Bonnie:** "Everything that Dillinger said is true. Track's makin' dose critters fall in line like a slave driver. And punishin' 'em hard whenever they don't."

 **Capone:** "Did you's see more of 'em?"

 **Clyde:** "All of 'em. They weren't dare when Dillinger checked in 'cuz they were gettin' more food for him and demselves."

 **Luciano:** "So why's he havin' da prey get food dat he can't eat?"

 **Bonnie:** "So they can have da strength ta keep feedin' and takin' care of him. And he only let's 'em have his leftover meat.

 **Luciano** (nods in appreciation of his youngest brother's mentality) **:** "Livin' slaves is always more useful than dead slaves."

 **Nelson:** "But Dill said none of da critters tried to stand up ta Track, that they were too passive. What's up with dat?"

 **Clyde** (smiles evily) **:** "Oh-ho-ho...Dat's the _best_ part. Turns out dat Dillinger didn't see any of da prey with the guts ta stand up ta Track during his shift. The ones that were away had a spine, by prey animal standards dat is..."

 **Bonnie:** "They was like," (Mocking tone) " 'Boo-hoo, you's bein' so unfair! We's tired of running your errands, and can't take livin' in constant fear of you killin' ya hostages.' "

 **Clyde:** "Track made sure ta emphasize how he could kill a raccoon-possum hybrid at any moment dee others disobeyed him, or just flat out abused 'em himself."

 **Bonnie:** "He's bein' so ruthless dat he made 'em turn against _each_ _oth'a_. The raccoon in charge was willing ta let his son get eaten, got angry at his mate, talked back to his father-in-law, and insulted da red squirrel, just ta attack Track."

 **Clyde:** "Dey restrained him and forced him to da ground ta make 'im stop. And as he was tryin' ta apologize to his son, da kid turned on his daddy for wanting ta let him die...Ah, it was priceless!"

 **Bonnie:** "Track made sure ta poke fun at dem durin' the whole drama, too. And when dey said dey wanted ta let da coon apologize ta everyone else, Track forced 'em ta go ta bed hungry. He didn't kill anyone ta set a better example, but them continuin' ta serve him is much worse than death."

 **Nelson:** "Ha-ha...He must'a learned dat from me. I always told 'im how great it feels ta be a bully."

As the other wolves take time to chuckle and gloat at the story Bonnie and Clyde just told them, Nelson gets the most enjoyment out of it as he takes a stroll down memory lane.

* * *

Nelson had grown up as Wee-Willy-Washout (or Three-W) of the Mountain-Stepper Wolf Pack. As the runt of the litter he always got less food than the rest of his family, because his parents or siblings would shove him out of the way. This made him physically weaker than any wolf he encountered, which contributed to him being bullied all of his childhood. His parents and siblings were no different than his bullies and always called him a wuss. His mom and dad demanded him to either step up his game or drop dead because, "We're not raising a wuss!" So he was picked on whether he was at home or away from it, which made him hate the world while also craving the opportunity to prove everyone wrong so he could gain attention and fame.

His first chance for that came in the worst of ways when his father, a skilled and respected wolf, unexpectedly died from a disease. Wee-Willy-Washout was forced to live up to his old man's example, which was impossible for such a young, weak, and inexperienced wolf. Because of that, he "disgraced" his father's memory and every predator and prey animal he encountered during his childhood reminded him of that. His siblings left his family-pack so that they wouldn't carry the stain of disgrace, forcing his mother to be stuck with a child who ruined her mate's name, which is something she punished him for regularly.

Things only got worse for him when his mom remarried an abusive stepfather who yelled and hit her (and Wee-Willy-Washout) all the time. They were completely disrespectful toward one another, making Three-W disrespect others. But she hit and yelled back at his stepfather, making Wee-Willy Washout all the more prone to violence toward even those he cared about. Three-W always wondered why his mom never left his stepfather, until she said it was because, although he and she hated each other, they hated everything else even more. Their hatred was where their bond lied, a lesson that the future Nelson would remember when he started or joined a pack. To do that, he took every opportunity that he could sneak away from home to build up his strength and hone his skills, using his hatred toward others to fuel both his resolve and physical capabilities.

All in all, his experiences taught him two important things: fear is the best way to get respect; and you don't earn respect, you force others to respect you. When he was strong enough to be a more active hunter at the age of 19, his plan for vengeance that had been in the works from the moment he was first picked on, was set into motion. He started with prey animals first, making many predators come after him for killing their food supply...leading them to their doom where he could fight them on his terms. With a good chunk of the competition out of the way, that's when he started becoming a bite-happy wolf who would kill others just as quickly as looking at them. He couldn't begin to describe how incredible it felt to be the one who picked on others, and his bullies were his first victims—all of them.

He saved the worst treatment for last when he killed his stepfather, and beat his mother literally half to death. Bleeding, bruised, and trying to breathe through fractured ribs and a punctured lung, she rasped why he would do such a thing to his own mother. Three-W's response was "You gave me nothin' but mistreatment all'uv my life. How'd you's think I'd turn out?" The last thing he said to his mom before leaving her forever was a response to her pathetic attempt to make Wee-Willy-Washout feel guilty when she pointed out that his biological father would never do such a thing to his mate. To that, Three-W said, "I ain't livin' up ta dad's name, oh no. I'm surpassing his name." He then left her and never looked back; no regrets.

His whole life, he had been the one that others took out their rage on. On that day 18 years ago, he gave the world a fatal taste of what he had endured; the nonexistent shoe was now on the other foot. The kid who had been bullied all of his childhood was now one of the most fearsome wolves in history. But by no means did he become a bully himself, because he had learned from his bullies that the greatest mistake bullies made was to leave the bullied alive (so that the former can keep harassing the latter). That was what would turn Wee-Willy-Washout into Nelson, and he had no intention of creating another monster who could give him trouble in the future. So he wasn't a bully, he was a homicidal maniac who enjoyed bullying his victims as he kills them. For some reason, he finds that saying hurtful things to others, making them hit themselves, threatening them, and publicly humiliating them makes them taste better. And unlike most bullies who are only strong if they have goons to back them up, the new and improved Three-W could stand up to an eight member wolf pack all by himself.

Unlike the other non-surname Bone-Chompers (minus Bugsy, Luciano, and Kale), Wee-Willy-Washout was found by and joined into the pack when he was still 19, which was before he earned the name Nelson. This makes him the first non-surname Bone-Chomper of the pack, a fact that he holds much pride in. But his main source of self-confidence derived from his massacre-inciting actions as the Bone-Chomper's first-choice hitwolf. He has slaughtered so many creatures that many animals—prey and even a few predators—who live in an area known to be Bone-Chomper territory are afraid to leave their dwellings under the fear that Bone-Chomper Nelson could waltz in and make it their worst, and often last, day on Earth. He didn't mind how much others exaggerated about him or his actions in a way that built him up as something akin to a legend. As long as they feared him and respected him, they can say he has teleportation powers or God's all-seeing eye as much as they want.

When Nelson's thoughts in the present dwell on Track, he once again ponders the peculiarity of how he doesn't empathize with the teenager, considering how similar the two are. They both had high expectations they failed to meet, were picked on because of it, and undertook training to better themselves with the goal to prove everyone wrong. But the reason is because Nelson overcame his hardships and transformed himself into a fierce force to be reckoned with. Kale had not done that, even when the opportunity to overcome his easier-than-Nelson's hardships was practically gift-wrapped for him and handed to him on a silver platter. So in Nelson's opinion, the kid deserves to be ridiculed until he becomes a true Bone-Chomper.

However, that finally seems to be happening, given what the observers have been telling the rest of the pack. So maybe Track will rise above his own disgrace too, like Nelson did, which makes the latter almost feel like an uncle to the kid.

* * *

Then, Nelson is brought out of his thoughts when Track's literal-godfather clears his throat once the wolves are done reveling in Bonnie's, and Clyde's stories.

 **Leo:** "Alright, so everything matches what Track told Bugsy and Luciano. But Bonnie and Clyde, he and dem weren't fakin' it?"

 **Clyde:** "No, 'cuz Track told 'em how much we picked on him, how mad he was for his failed hunt, and how we left 'im for dead as reasons for why he's enjoyin' the power of lording over other creatures, which is somethin' he could never do in our pack."

 **Bonnie** (to her mate) **:** "Babe, da no-tears coon."

 **Clyde:** "Oh yeah. Dare's one new thing that don't match up. When da raccoon in charge buried his head inta his possum mate's shoulder, he made cryin' sounds," (Ridiculing) "like da big-baby pipsqueak he is," (Normal tone) "but no tears came from his eyes."

 **Bonnie:** "And we kept our eyes on 'im until he stopped makin' crying noises."

 **Emmy:** "So he _was_ fakin' it..."

 **Bonnie:** "Look into my eyes, folks." (Pauses until everyone is looking at her) "Dee emotions displayed by da prey was genuine. Dat _one_ detail is all that Clyde and I found amiss."

 **Clyde:** "We swear our lives on it."

The others look at each other and then turn to Bonnie and Clyde. Their nods show that they believe the two, but their muzzled faces display confusion.

 **Gabby:** "So you's are sayin' da raccoon was strong enough ta hold back his waterworks?"

 **Clyde:** "No, not with the things he had ta feel sorry for. He _should've_ cried, but he didn't."

That confuses them even more, and they are once again in the exact same place they were when Leo first pointed out the inconsistencies with Kale's story to Luciano and Bugsy yesterday. As before, Dillinger breaks the awkward silence.

 **Dillinger:** "Brain hurts...Agreed?"

The others sigh and relax their posture as if they just finished a workout from a fitness-freak personal trainer who pushed them too hard because s/he doesn't distinguish between a simple exercise session from Heck-Week during Special Forces training. After all, they have been very busy for the past two days. They had pursued and killed 150 prey animals, waited up all night for Bonnie and Clyde to return, are prepared for an attack from other predators to come at any moment, and had to weigh in what the inconsistencies with Track's stay with prey could mean.

 **Capone:** "You got dat right, Dill. We need some R&R, then we can think about things later."

 **Luciano:** "Me and Bugsy will stand guard while da rest of ya sleep. Us two didn't participate in da massacre, so we's ain't as tired."

 **Emmy:** "Tanks, boys. I'll knock five points offa ya's in-trouble rating for that."

 **Bugsy** (to Dillinger, Bonnie, and Clyde) **:** "Don't forget you's three's observations still don't explain why Kale's hostages weren't in da log with 'im when Luciano and I tried ta bring him back."

The others are in no mood to ponder anymore about that, but are at least glad that Kale's own brother isn't going easy on the kid, and is just as skeptical as the rest are. But that is a question for the next observer to answer. For now, the wolves must rest. Even the greatest warriors in the world require sleep, and the Bone-Chompers are no exception.

They reckon that after they have rested, then their minds will be sharper than ever...But as with Kale, the wolves' already-opened minds will be privy to things they never thought imaginable. Things that will make their lives easier, and more challenging.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed another chapter full of entertainment and enriching details for readers of all ages! And if you've enjoyed the backstories for the Bone-Chomper wolves so far, then wait until the rest of the pack's pasts are revealed! You may find yourself empathizing with the villains from time to time now that most of them have relatable backgrounds.**

 **No matter who's side you're rooting for, know that each will become more real as the story continues!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	6. Games of Life and Death

**Hello all readers and OTH fans! Did you miss me? I missed you.**

 **It's been awhile since I've worked on stories. The reason for the delay is because I found a new summer job that kept me busy 9-10 hours a day from Monday-Friday doing physically taxing work that left me with only a few hours of free time that I used to recuperate. On the weekends I was busy applying for full time teaching jobs, doing chores around the house, and relaxing. I also went on two vacations.**

 **I'm currently back to my regular job and can work on stories again.**

 **I appreciate your patience with me, and assure you that the wait will be worth it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Games of Life and Death**

Within the log, Kale wakes up to the sound of RJ's voice coming from outside.

 **RJ's voice:** "So are there any more questions?"

No one says anything, so RJ continues.

 **RJ's voice:** "Then let's have an hour and a half of rest and relaxation before beginning our busy day raiding."

Kale looks down to confirm that he's still on the off-road skateboard and starts pulling himself forward so he could go outside.

 **Hammy's voice:** "Dibs on the vacant otter den! I'm gonna get all muddy, then get clean, get muddy again, then clean again—"

With his favorite alone-time spot at risk of some Hammy-mayhem, Verne speaks in a concerned tone.

 **Verne's voice:** "Um, n-now Hammy. Let's not be so hasty."

 **Bernard's voice:** "How about you read us a story, Uncle Verne?"

 **Hammy's voice:** "Oh! Story! I love stories!"

The young kids collectively shout "Yeah!", and Hammy's comment alone puts Verne's mind at ease. But RJ wants to break the normal routine of Verne always reading stories and comes up with a suggestion.

 **RJ's voice:** "I could read it, Bernard."

 **Bernard's voice:** "But Uncle Verne reads them the best, daddy."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "He really does."

 **RJ's voice:** "Well, if that's what you want, then go ahead."

Kale is out of the log by then and sees all the young kids and Hammy cheer while going up to Verne. He then looks up and sees it's an overcast morning.

 **Luby:** "Oh, good morning Kale."

The others turn and most nod or wave, but all remain silent. Nevertheless, the fact that they are no longer nervous and speak to Kale like it's a normal thing shows that they no longer fear him as they used to. Kale's words seem to confirm this as well.

 **Kale:** " How's is hangin'?"

 **Rick:** "What're you in the mood to eat this morning?"

 **Kale:** "We got any roast beef?"

 **Rick:** "Roast beef coming right up."

The raccoon opens the cooler and brings out the roast beef that Kale wastes no time chowing down on, quite loudly too.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Can't believe I used ta think dis stuff wouldn't taste good..._ "

He ponders if live food will taste as good again when he rejoins his pack. Even if it doesn't, he'll have to eat it at a normal pace because if he pauses, the Bone-Chompers would ask what's wrong, and then he'd have to—

 **Kale thinking:** " _Why am I thinkin' about dat now?_ "

It feels good to stop his thoughts, and Kale is once again immersed in taste-good heaven. He eats slowly to savor every bite and is so loud that he can't hear Verne asking the kids what book they want him to read.

 **Roger:** "Read us _The Frog Prince_!"

 **Ty:** "No, _Hansel and Gretel_!"

 **De'Ausha:** "Read the one with the dragon fight!"

 **Hammy:** "No, _Rapunzel_!"

 **Mary:** "How about _The Three Little Pigs_?"

 **Bernard:** "Come on, Mary. We've heard that a hundred times."

 **Hammy:** "But it's such a great story!"

 **Plushie:** "I wouldn't mind hearing it 101 times."

 **Ty:** "Me neither."

 **Roger:** "Likewise."

 **De'Ausha:** "Sounds good to me."

 **Bernard** (sighs and speaks in a defeated tone) **:** "Alright..."

 **Verne:** "Okay, _The Three Little Pigs_ it is."

When Verne is finished digging through the newly-acquired storybook pile and turns to face the children sitting in a circle around him, he is filled with joy and pride at seeing their eager faces waiting for him to begin. Verne really cherishes that the young kids prefer him to read them their stories instead of RJ. It's one of the rare cases in which Verne's fatherly nature shines above RJ's playfulness.

The other adults and teens are too busy elsewhere doing their own things that no one at the story corner notices Kale has finished eating. The wolf's ears perk up when he hears Verne reading about halfway through the tale.

 **Verne:** "Approaching the door of the stick house, the Big Bad Wolf said, 'Little pigs, little pigs, let me come iii-innnnnn.' "

The kids gasp at the creepy voice Verne uses while speaking as wolf. Even Bernard who initially didn't want to hear it again is immersed and excited. However, Kale is anything but amused. He softly groans as he thinks in disgust, " _Stupid human authors thinkin' dat's how wolves would talk and hunt while tryin' ta eat pigs..._ "

Since the backs of the animals in story corner are to Kale, he starts making his way over to the kids, wanting to set the record straight on some things that the story gets wrong about his species.

 **Verne:** " 'Not by the hair on our chinny-chin-chins,' the two pigs answered.

" 'Then I'll huff," (Sharply inhales) " 'and I'll puff," (sharply inhales) " 'And I'll blow your house down!' "

Verne exhales as loud as he can, causing the kids to duck or grab their nonexistent hats to keep the on their heads.

 **Verne:** "The Big Bad Wolf blew away the stick house as easily as he did the straw house. The two pigs squealed, 'EEEEK!' and ran away fast with the wolf not too far behind them. They went to their oldest brother's house made of brick and hid inside.

"The Big Bad Wolf walked up to the door of the brick house, knocked on it and said—"

 **Kale:** " 'You's three's gluttonous, mud-swimming, stupid curly tails' lives're numbuh'd—by da seconds!' Da wolf, bein' much smarter n' stronger dan filthy, lazy pigs, jumped through the window and ate up da suckers. The End."

The kids scream in anguish at how dark and demented Kale just made a beloved childhood classic. Verne puts the book down and looks disapprovingly at the wolf.

 **Verne:** "That was uncalled for, Kale."

 **Kale:** "No, Scales, da book you're readin' is full'a lies, which you're feedin' ta the kids. Dey desoive ta know how dat story would _really_ happen, so I gave ya's the truth. Da wolf was dumbed down to the nth degree and was given super breath powers instead of usin' his true abilities."

 **Verne:** "First, my name is Verne, not 'Scales.' And second, it's just a kids' story, it's not meant to be taken so seriously."

 **Kale:** "That's because you's not a wolf. Dat story is an insult ta my species. But on da plus side, it gives young humans, and animals, dee idea dat wolves are easy to defeat, which my species can use ta prove it wrong to those who're stupid enough ta believe it."

 **De'Ausha:** "But your version didn't have a happy endin'. All fairy tales have those."

 **Kale:** "The endin' I told ya's _did_ end happy—for the wolf and not da prey. The ending you's're used to hearin' is happy for da pigs and not da wolf."

De'Ausha lets out a huff while crossing her arms. Wanting to calm things down, Verne makes a mental note to think twice before reading anymore Big Bad Wolf stories while Kale is around, and hopes he can make the kids at least _try_ to understand Kale's perspective.

 **Verne:** "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised wolves that would teach their kids a wolf-centered version."

 **Kale:** "Nah, I just made it up on da spot. Wolves tell dare kids da same version everyone knows."

All the kids are surprised at that, and give Kale their undivided attention.

 **Mary:** "Why would they do that?"

 **Kale:** "So dat dare kids learn about da Big Bad Wolf's mistakes and won't repeat 'em."

The story corner goes "Ah..." in realization. After a brief pause of silence—during which time Kale notes that he unintentionally, but gladly, answered another dumb, random question from prey about a wolf—Roger raises his arm.

 **Roger:** "Uncle Verne?"

 **Verne:** "Yes Roger?"

 **Roger:** "I've always wondered, well, is that the same Big Bad Wolf from _Little Red Riding Hood_ , and _Peter and the Wolf_?"

Verne is a little nervous to answer with Kale present, but can't leave a godson hanging, so he replies, "Well, I don't think so because the wolf in each of those stories dies."

To the reptile's relief, Kale doesn't speak out against his words, and in fact nods as if seriously taking into account what the turtle said.

 **Plushie:** "I always thought each of the wolves in the stories that come after the first one we heard growing up was the son and grandson of the Big Bad Wolf."

 **Kale:** "A story of vendetta to avenge dare fallen pops's...Dat actually sounds accurate."

 **Hammy** (raises his arm) **:** "Oh," (very fast) "oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!" (Normal speed) "Verne! Veeeerrr-errrrrrnnneee!"

 **Verne:** "What is it Hammy?"

 **Note** **: The following segment is based on the** _ **Over the Hedge**_ **comic strip dated February 6, 2013.**

 **Hammy:** "Why aren't there any stories about Big Good Wolves?"

Everyone goes "Hm..." in careful consideration. Verne glances at Kale who points to his right ear and then at Verne while giving a hard expression that reads "I'm listening to you," the same way someone would say "I'm watching you," meaning that the turtle's response will be under close scrutiny.

Verne gulps in uncertainty and grim anticipation of how Kale will react, and says, "It'd be too boring. A Big Good Wolf wouldn't provide conflict...Without conflict you can't have a story."

 **Kale:** "Not ta mention dat a wolf who's nice ta prey is a disgrace ta himself, his pack, and the entire wolf species. Wolves always have ta be the bad guys."

Verne sighs in relief at how Kale didn't react as harshly as he feared.

 **Hammy** (raises his paw) **:** "Oh, oh, oh! I know a story!...Ahem: 'The Big Good Wolf said he couldn't be in a story, so I put him in this one. The End!' "

 **Verne:** "I stand corrected."

 **Hammy:** "You're not standing."

The kids giggle while Verne rolls his eyes with a lopsided grin. He also notices that the teens and adults have returned to get some water or sodas from the cooler.

 **Verne** (to the kids) **:** "I see that your parents are back. Does anyone want me read another story, or go do something else with them or each other."

 **Ty:** "No more stories. Any story we read with Kale around is gonna get butchered—"

 **Kale** (in cocky pride) **:** "You know it."

 **Ty:** "—So I think I'll play tag. Anyone care to join me?"

 **Roger, De'Ausha, and Plushie in unison:** "I'm in!"

 **Bernard:** "I think I'll go practice playing possum with mommy and Grandpa Ozzie."

 **Mary:** "And I want daddy to show me how to use more stuff from his bag."

 **Rebecca:** "How about picking up where we left off in your gymnastics lessons with me?"

 **Mary:** "Oh! Yes, _yes_! Definitely, Aunt Becca!"

 **RJ:** "No sweat, Mary." (To Rebecca) "Just don't tire her out too much, she has an important role in the first raid today."

 **Rebecca:** "I know. Don't worry, RJ."

 **Emily:** "None of you wanna play video games with us?"

 **Bernard:** "I think that sounds more fun!"

 **Heather:** "No, Bernard. You've been playing too many video games lately, and need more exercise."

 **Bernard:** "But mom—"

 **Heather:** "No buts."

 **Bernard** (in defeat) **:** "Okay..."

 **Ozzie:** "Think of it this way, Bernard: if you become so great at playing possum and it gets a game-maker's attention, someone might be playing you on a video game one day."

 **Bernard** (in excitement) **:** "That would be the coolest! I'm in!" (Runs up to Ozzie and jumps up and down while holding the possum's paw in his own) "Show me everything I don't know! _Today_ , Grandpa!"

 **Ozzie** (brushing the top of his grandson's head) **:** "That would take years, you silly goose. But we'll see how much we can get through today before we have to go on the raids."

 **Bernard:** "Yes!" (Turns to face Heather) "C'mon, mommy! Let's go!"

 **Heather:** "Lead the way, Bernard!"

 **Kale:** "Humph."

 **Velma:** "Something wrong, Kale?"

 **Kale** (thinking) **:** " _Oops...Shouldn't have been so loud._ " (Out loud) "It's nothin' too big. It's just so obvious dat you's prey would have fun doin' prey things—like playin' tag or playin' possum—or human things like playin' video games."

 **Ty:** "Well, what do you do for fun, Kale? What do _wolves_ do for fun?"

All eyes turns to Kale who silently scoffs at the next random question about wolves that has been asked. He should have known this question was only a matter of time away. He actually feels a bit embarrassed to answer because of how different it will be. But he responds after the question is asked anyway.

 **Kale:** "Wolves like ta wrestle with each oth'a like pet dogs do—it's in all canines' genes. We also play hide n' seek like any creature, but mainly to improve our tracking. and We also play tag, or rather, wolf freeze tag where we bite oth'a contestants instead of tappin' 'em with our paws. We's play pranks on each oth'a, and especially on prey ta put da fear of God in 'em too. But we's rarely get ta have any fun in da way you consider 'fun' ta be. In a nutshell, wolves get dare fun by fulfilling our roles as wolves."

 **Emma:** "Do you listen to music, watch TV, or play board games or video games? We do that for fun all the time."

 **Kale:** "Wolves don't have da paws suited for playin' video games or listenin' ta music, and I've only heard those things from human campers. We don't normally watch TV either, 'cept when we wanna learn more about da world we live in, or ta get inspiration from certain shows or movies—all in order ta be better predators."

The teens and adults give Kale pitiable facial expressions at how wolves can't have genuine fun. Even though surviving in the wild is a hard and dangerous task in of itself for all prey animals, at least everyone in the family found plenty of spare time to enjoy life. This only increased once RJ introduced them to the human world, as they learned and obtained things that made living in the wild easier, which freed more time to have fun.

But Kale...His need to be a predator leaves little time for true leisure. Of course, the smaller kids are blunter in their reaction to Kale's answer.

 **Ty:** "Golly...that sounds _so_ _lame_."

Although the kit's response isn't inappropriate—after all, he is a kid who doesn't know much better at this age—the tone he spoke it in _is_. All eyes turn to Ty (some with a scoff), but Kale speaks before anyone can give the raccoon a lecture.

 **Kale:** "Yeah...it _is_ lame."

The wolf actually finds himself nodding and giving a lopsided grin in bitter agreement with Ty now that he has given the explanation of how wolves have fun out loud. Furthermore, he was able to do that without the fear of being punished for complaining by someone in his pack, which is like a breath of fresh air now when he thinks about that.

However, Kale reminds himself in his mind, "Whatever ya do, j _ust don't get used ta it. 'Cuz when you get betta and rejoin ya pack, you's goin' back to a life of scrutiny and expectations ta meet._ "

The next speaker's voice then draws the cynically moping wolf's attention.

 **Bucky:** "Well then, let's teach ya how to have some _real_ fun. Staring with video games."

The other teens say "Yeah" in joyful agreement and get behind Kale to push him toward the TV.

 **Kale:** "I just said wolves don't got da paws ta play video games." (Insultingly rhetoric) "You's got tree bark in ya's ear, fuzz-brains?"

 **Spike:** "Don't be such a doubter. You've never tried to play a video game before, that's why you think you can't do it."

 **Rachel:** "But we'll teach you, step by step."

Kale wants to object, but by now they have arrived at the TV and it will take too long for him to move himself away. So he has no choice but to give it a shot.

 **Quillo** (to all the teens) **:** "I'll turn on the Xbox One, and the game will be _Race 'R Die 2: Max Velocity_." (To Emily) "You teach him how to use the controller."

 **Note** **: I made up the title** _ **Race 'R Die 2: Max Velocity**_ **since I was too lazy to look up real Xbox One racing games, and so that I could make up my own controller layout, stages, cars, and power-ups.**

Emily nods and takes a spare controller that isn't plugged in which Bucky hands to her, and she places it in front of Kale's forepaws. She points and presses the buttons as she explains what each does.

 **Emily:** "Thankfully the controls are exactly the same as the first game, so you'll be as informed as us, which will level the playing field. The left analog stick here controls your steering. The A button makes the car go forward—the longer you hold it, the faster you'll go—and the B button is the brakes. Holding the X button makes you go in reverse, and the Y button is how you use power-ups that you collect by driving through special pads that appear randomly on the race course. The lower-right analog stick here controls your camera view, use it to look to the left, right, behind, and press up to reorient it forward. The lower-left D-Pad can also be used to control the camera, but we chose a button layout that uses the right analog stick since trying to reach for two left-facing sticks in the middle of a heated race is too much trouble. Anyway, the main L trigger is used to make sharp left turns and the main R trigger is for making sharp right turns."

 **Kale:** "Okay, dat's what I'm talkin' about. My paws aren't shaped like yours, so I can only hit da buttons on da front of the controller."

 **Spike:** "That's where me and Emma will help out. Leave those triggers to us."

 **Emma:** "The controllers were designed for human hands, which means our porcupine paws are too small to hold and fully utilize the controller unaided. Even for my mom, who's fully grown."

 **Quillo** (turns to face Kale when the developer companies start popping up) **:** "Which is why it takes three of us to man one controller, and we work as a team."

Kale says "Oh," in admiration at the craftiness of the porcupines in their methods to offset physiological impossibilities. in a way, it reminds him of how his godfather Leo has been teaching him to go for the vital areas of physiologically-stronger-than-wolf animals when attacking...somewhat, because video games are nothing like fighting other animals. The wolf once again silently acknowledges that this group of prey is smarter than most, not only in survival techniques, but even in small things such as playtime.

Spike and Emma get next to Kale's second player controller, and Bucky, Rachel and Quillo huddle around the first player controller as the game's title screen comes up. They select 2 players, then one-on-one match, and then the car selection screen comes up next.

 **Quillo:** "Since this is your first time playing, you'll just play against us alone, because going up against the opponents' AI might prove too challenging."

 **Kale** (irritated) **:** "You's think I'm a sissy who can't handle da full experience on my first try?!"

 **Rachel:** "Of course not. But with all due respect, you _are_ easy to anger, and we don't want you to break the controller or TV for getting overly frustrated."

Kale grimaces at her in anger for one second before dropping the expression for an annoyed look at how she's right.

 **Bucky:** "Yeah, this game can get very competitive and personal very fast. And even we, as experienced gamers, hate it whenever the computer players win. So losing to living players who you know won't hurt as bad, especially since we won't rub it in like we normally do when playing against each other."

 **Kale:** "Wrong again. I'm da one who's gonna beat _you's_. But go ahead and do ya's wimpy mano-y-mano match."

The wolf had spoken in a voice full of sincerity and menace, rather than in playful confrontation tone, in response to Bucky's pointer made out of pure generosity. That makes Bucky roll his eyes and sigh as he muses, " _This wolf's still hot-tempered and all superiority complex towards others, even when he_ agrees _to do things for fun. We haven't even started yet, and he's already rubbing it in. But still, I'm not gonna let his bad mood ruin my fun._ " (Out loud) "We'll also let you select your car first. Use the left analog stick to move up or down."

 **Kale:** "Sounds simple enough."

But as soon as Kale practically slams the analog stick down, he browses through all 20 cars too fast to read, proving that even something that simple requires careful handling.

 **Kale:** "Whoa! I guess I gotta take it easier."

Not wanting anyone to patronize him, Kale quickly tries again, and this time is successful. He inadvertently demonstrates his wolf intelligence to the others by scrolling through the car choices one at a time and carefully reading the stats of each, rather than just picking the car that looks the coolest as most first-time gamers normally do. By the twelfth choice—a black pickup truck with below average speed, okay handling, and great toughness—Kale says, "Man, dis is a lot of cars..."

 **Quillo** (snorts smugly out of his nose and smirks) **:** "We haven't even unlocked everything yet, since we abducted this a few days ago."

 **Rachel:** "And we promise to go easy on you since you're a first-time player."

 **Kale:** "Dare's no glory in winnin' against prey from a handicap! Play me at you's best, so dat you'll fall harder when I cream ya's!"

 **Emma:** "Okay, seriously, Kale, chill out. It's just a video game, not one of your hunts. You're not doing this for 'glory' or to 'cream us.' At most, the best thing you get for winning is bragging rights."

 **Bucky:** "Yeah. You're just playing to have fun...Fun like a 'prey animal,' not like a wolf."

 **Kale:** "Dat's the most pointless thing I ever heard. You got eyes, so you should _see_ that I am a wolf. I'm just havin' fun my way, while also tryin' your way. Now shut up and lemme pick a car."

Bucky is more than happy to comply...all while silently dreading what it's going to be like if he beats Kale, which is something he _really_ wants to do in spite of the risks. The wolf picks out a gray SUV with an almost perfect balance of speed, handling, and toughness.

 **Bucky thinking:** " _Clever...But not clever enough._ "

Bucky picks a Ferrari with high speed, great handling, and below average toughness, knowing that his greater experience with racing games will offset his opponent's supposed superior car choice. The next screen is the stage selection and there's six in all: a NASCAR-like giant circle, a figure eight, a winding mountain, an urban city, a construction site, and an off-road stadium.

 **Spike:** "Since you're our guest, we'll let you decide the stage."

To everyone's pleasure, Kale makes his selection of the mountain in silence. Bucky has a good idea as to why the canine would gravitate toward that stage. It's like the wild terrain the wolf is most familiar with, so he must be getting the impression that he'll have a home field advantage.

 **Bucky thinking:** " _Mistake, thy name is Kale._ "

Kale presses the A button and the screen transitions to showing brief aerial shots of the course and then centers on the two cars at the starting line. During that time, Bucky says, "Since this stage is very big, there's only one lap instead of three, so we'll be racing for the win as soon as it says 'Go.' "

Kale nods and the TV goes to two horizontal split screens with Kale's SUV on the top and Bucky's Ferrari on the bottom.

Kale is eager in anticipation to try out something new, and is confident that he'll literally leave the porcupine in the dust. But before the countdown even starts, the game suddenly pauses, and the words "P2 Paused" shows why.

 **Kale:** "Hey! What gives?! Ya's already wantin' ta surrender before I can have my fun? That's pathetic even for a cowardly prey critter like you's."

There has never been any moment in Bucky's life when he wants to slap someone across the face as he does to Kale right now. Surprisingly, he keeps calm and says in an even tone, "I forgot to mention a tip. You can hold down the A button if you wanna get an extra boost of speed at the beginning of the race. Just don't hold it down for too long or you'll have a burnout."

Before Kale can take a breath to reply, Bucky adds, "You're welcome, by the way."

 **Kale:** "Just un-pause da game, pipsqueak."

The others give harsh looks at Kale, but Bucky obeys, while silently musing, " _That's it. You've just sealed your fate._ " He thought doing something nice for the wolf would put the predator in a tolerable mood. But no, Kale's wolf attitude just doesn't have an off switch. It seems the only thing that can make the 15-year-old sober up is a defeat, as the night they met him along with every verbal exchange since then have clearly demonstrated. That gives Bucky all the motivation he needs.

When the number 3 chimes on the screen, Bucky's eyes glance to the left at Rachel who meets his sharp gaze and nods. When the number 2 chimes on the screen, Kale starts holding down the A button to build up speed.

 **Spike** (cautious tone) **:** "Kale—"

 **Kale:** "—Quiet!"

During the brief conversation between porcupine and wolf, Bucky's eyes glance to the right at Quillo who repeats Rachel's actions. Now knowing that his partners are just as determined and agitated as he is, Bucky holds down the A button and his eyes locked onto the screen when the number 1 chimes.

When the word "Go!" flashes, Bucky's team gets a jack-rabbit-start from the perfectly timed speed boost...And Kale goes "Uhhn!" in rage when his SUV wobbles in place as a black cloud from the engine block envelops the vehicle.

 **Spike:** "I tried to tell you that you held down the A button too soon..."

 **Kale:** "Shut up!"

The wolf is more determined than ever to make Bucky's team pay, and his first chance quickly comes when he drives over a power up panel and gets a homing missile. Bucky had passed over another panel beforehand and Rachel notices he has a land mine. She keeps that observation in mind, ready to inform Kale when the time presents itself.

Remembering the controls, Kale presses Y and watches in delight as his projectile hits Bucky's Ferrari and causes it to slow down while doing an aileron roll. Wanting to add insult to injury, Kale positions his SUV so that it will hit Bucky's car from the rear, knowing that his SUV's superior toughness will knock the smaller car aside like a toy.

Emma notices this and says, "Just pass him, Kale!"

 **Kale:** "I'm drivin', here!"

 **Emma:** "But—!"

Kale growls menacingly at her while barring his teeth, which prompts Emma to gulp and be quiet. The wolf refocuses back on the game just in time to see his SUV 10 feet away from Bucky and closing. When it's three feet away, Bucky drops the land mine and causes Kale's SUV to go through the same rolling animation and slowdown.

 **Kale** (angry) **:** "Tú furtivo y subrepticio rata de alfombra!"

 **Bucky, Rachel, and Quillo** (turn their heads to look at Kale in confusion) **:** "Huh?"

 **Kale:** "I said 'you sneaky, underhanded rugrat!', ya morons!"

 **Quillo** (sarcastic) **:** "Sor-ry for not knowing much Spanish."

When Kale doesn't reply with a retort, the three opponent porcupines know something's strange. And when he smirks an instant later, they know he's up to no good.

 **Kale:** "Well, then here's lesson uno: _ventosa_ means sucker...Like you's three are for not keepin' ya's eyes on da screen!"

The three immediately look back at the screen and notice that Kale has a big head start from the position the rodents failed to move from!

Cheating...they should have expected that from a wolf. Spike and Emma, on the other hand, are impressed at Kale's ingenuity.

 **Spike:** "Ooo! Good one, Kale!"

 **Emma:** "Way to trick 'em!"

 **Kale** (snapping) **:** "Can it ya fat Hershey Kiss and deformed zebra fetus! I'm tryin' ta win here! And compliments from prey like you's is a whole buncha nada!"

Upon seeing the blank and wide-eyed stares from his teammates, Kale replies, "Oh, 'nada' means nothin'."

The stares continue, which makes Kale remember his manners.

 **Kale:** "Ya welcome for the translation."

Well, his _wolf_ manners. But this time, his insults aren't allowed to slide. What's worse is his obliviousness to his vulgarity. Bucky hits the Start button with all his strength, making an audible _Tap!_ that's heard even over the game's music and sound effects.

 **Kale:** "Now what?! Gotta take a break ta pick ya's nose?"

 **Spike:** "You can't talk to us like that!"

 **Kale:** "Why not? And what makes ya think I'd listen ta you's?"

 **Bucky:** "To answer both questions, 'cuz we're four years older than you, that means you _should_ listen to us and be nicer."

 **Kale:** "News flash: how _I_ was raised, my bein' a predator with three times ya size n' strength means _you's_ gotta listen ta me, whether I'm nice or not."

 **Quillo:** "You are one inch away from getting a face full of quills!" (Points to his spines for added emphasis)

 **Kale** (rhetorical) **:** "Do I look afraid?"

He doesn't, but before any violence can happen, Emma rejoins the argument.

 **Emma:** "Quillo, you're missing the point." (To Kale in an unangry yet sincere tone) "Just why? What you said to Spike and I was rude and low."

 **Rachel:** "Yeah, and they were complimenting you."

 **Kale:** "Blah, blah! I'm havin' fun beatin' you's three" (turns his head to face Bucky, Rachel, and Quillo) "in da game, and fun with you's two" (looks at Spike and Emma) "by insultin' ya. I didn't mean it personally, I'm just so used ta insultin' prey dat it's hard for me not ta do it. It's really you's fault for gettin' offended. So if you's gotta problem with my wolf-fun mixin' with ya's prey-fun, den shut up. It's da only way ta make me shut up. As a wolf, I can't take compliments from prey."

 **Quillo:** "Says who?"

 **Kale:** "Da codes of wolf society."

 **Emma:** "You're no longer with your pack, so you don't have to obey those codes."

 **Rachel:** "Which means you better clean up your act or we'll quit playing the game with you."

 **Kale:** "Heh, go ahead. Dat means I win anyway."

Rachel her sister let out a frustrated "Uhhhhh" while face-palming. That's when Quillo gets an ingenious idea that's guaranteed to work. He realizes that the proper approach his family has taught him, of using Kale's empathy (what little of it there is) to make the wolf see the errors of his ways, isn't working. Instead he uses the improper approach: insulting Kale's ego.

 **Quillo** (nonchalantly) **:** "I'm sure the codes of wolf society would frown upon a coward's victory."

Kale locks eyes with Quillo and says in a low but threatening tone, "Did. You's. Just. Call. _Me_. A. **Coward?** "

 **Quillo:** "Who's getting offended, now? You heard my tone, I didn't mean it personally. And your reaction proves that wolf society would take offense if you won by making us rage-quit."

 **Kale:** "You _do_ realize dat I'm within biting distance of ya's, right?"

Quillo looks willing to take that chance, but that's when Bucky's had enough—from everyone. This was supposed to be a time for fun, not confrontation, but even his own brother fails to see that. That's when the firstborn son does his oldest sibling duty.

 **Bucky:** "That's _it_ , guys! We've only got about an hour of free time before we have to go on raids to restock on food for the rest of the day, so let's stop wasting it! As the video game champion in this family I suggest we continue playing...in silence!" (Looking at Kale) "In-the-moment reactions are okay, and we'll ignore any insults. But other than that, none of us will talk to you, and you won't talk to us." (Looking at everyone) "Got it?!"

The others are surprised how angry Bucky got all of a sudden, and surprised even more by their silent compliance as signified by everyone turning their attention back to the TV and resuming the game. Spike doesn't even try to challenge Bucky's self-proclaimed title when Spike considers that to belong to himself. Instead they just continue the game. Bucky actually takes a few moments to silently congratulate himself, his brother, and the two girls for handling the problem instead of having to rely on an adult. Their parents would be proud. They are all growing up indeed—save for Kale who seems to be stuck in his prepubescent naughty phase.

By the time Bucky lets his mind fully focus on the game, he sees that Kale is still a good distance away from his Ferrari, which drives over a power-up panel and gets a speed booster. He doesn't use it yet, but saves when he's approaching a tall hill made of dirt. Kale takes the more common-sense way of driving on the road that goes around, but Bucky uses his speed booster to rocket his car up the terrain that would normally cause slowdown, and goes up the hill and cuts in front of Kale, rendering the wolf's land mine weapon he had recently gotten useless.

 **Kale:** "What da heck?! You's never said nothin' about no shortcuts!"

Bucky doesn't reply, which makes Kale angrier. The Ferrari's faster speed and better maneuverability puts some distance between Kale's SUV as the two cars drive along an S-shaped road bordering the edge of the mountain. When Kale gets another missile and fires, he looks at Bucky's team's screen, his thirst for revenge making him crave to see his attack connect. His eyes go wide in horror when the missile just goes straight and falls off the mountain.

 **Kale:** "It wasn't a _homing_ missile?! And why would a missile drop its altitude?!"

Still looking at the screen, and wanting to prevent Kale's mood from becoming worse, Spike violates the no talking rule when he yells, "Put on your breaks!"

Kale realizes too late that he was still staring at Bucky's car's screen while ranting about the missile, and then it's too late to stop his SUV from falling off the mountain. Kale snarls in rage as his screen goes black and the SUV respawns in the middle of the S-curve road, which gave Bucky and his team plenty of time to get a third of the way through the undulating road at the end of the S-curve that lead down the mountain.

 **Kale:** "I'll get you's for dat, ya chocolate-covered pineapple!"

The porcupine doesn't respond, but does smile at the threat while musing " _Just try, wolf boy._ "

Kale soon smiles himself when his SUV gets a triple speed booster from the next power up panel. He uses the first boost to launch his SUV airborne after reaching the top of the first road undulation, which catapults his car past three of the five next undulations, then uses the second boost to clear the rest of the undulations entirely with both actions significantly closing the distance to Bucky's car. The latter gets an oil slick weapon and drops it right before entering a tunnel-like cannon that launches the car up to the top of the mountain.

Kale avoids the trap and then, for the first time all game, feels honest and genuine fun when his SUv enters the cannon and shoots up the mountain. Like all land-based animals, he would love to be able to fly. His wolf-mind always told him that that ability would give him nearly unrestricted access to attack and pursue prey, making him an unstoppable hunter unless prey was in deep water. The kid-mind in him, however, would just love the feeling of how fast and high he could get into the sky. He could do all sorts of maneuvers that he saw human airplanes perform at airshows. The fun would make it impossible for him to come back down except to eat and sleep. He can't steer his SUV while flying up to the mountain top, but even the simulated experience of flying makes him unable to contain his excitement.

 **Kale:** "Yeah-heah! Now _**dat's**_ awesome!"

Alas, what goes up must come down, and before his SUV lands, Kale allows himself to feel one moment of joyful anticipation for when he revisits this stage at a later time to fly through the air. When the SUV lands, his mind focuses on winning the race again. The next part of the course he and Bucky are driving on is an upside down U-shaped road that curves around the mountain side and leads to a rope bridge. Even though he's a first-time player, Kale's eyes become drawn to a ramp that's in the center of the straight part of the road before the path curves a little ahead of that. He still has one more speed boost left and uses it fly over the gap in the upside down U and get to the rope bridge far ahead of Bucky's car.

 **Kale:** "Ha! Eat my dust, rodent!"

Bucky again remains quiet, but doesn't smile this time since Kale is catching on to the game's item-specific shortcuts much quicker than he anticipated. The same goes for terrain-specific traps, when the wolf gets a triple land mine weapon and lays all three in places that will guarantee the Ferrari will hit at least one when it will have to cross the bridge. All is not lost, though, because Bucky's next power-up is a car compacter. Designed to target every car that's in front of the user, Bucky hits the Y button and watches with satisfaction when the top of the compactor appears above Kale's SUV and squashes it into a pancake. The car stays flat with greatly reduced speed for six seconds, which makes Bucky's hitting the land mine and falling off the rope bridge not hurt as much. Even so, Kale's SUV is a good way's ahead of Bucky's Ferrari when the latter is across the rope bridge. Bucky gets within a semi-truck length of the SUV while going down a short hill, and when he gets a single speed booster power up, he knows the outcome of the race is decided. The last section of the track is a straight tunnel that exits to the finish line.

Kale gets a paint bucket power-up and instantly uses it. It doesn't damage Bucky's Ferrari or slow it down, but it obstructs the car's screen which is covered in globs of oozing paint. Kale can already feel the sweet taste of victory as the finish line is 100 feet away and getting closer. Unfortunately, Bucky and his partners' view isn't as obscured as Kale believes. Not to mention their previous experiences with this race course gives them knowledge of a hidden shortcut that can only be used by a speed booster. Halfway down the tunnel is a left path that is blocked by concrete road barriers that would cause all vehicles to stop dead in their tracks, which makes it seem like a dead end. Naturally, Kale ignores this and continues straight, getting ever so closer to the tunnel's end and the finish line. When the time is right, Bucky turns left while using his speed booster which breaks the road barriers in half, leading to a small tunnel lined with boost pads that goes up.

Kale's eyes instantly notice Bucky's unexpected actions at the supposed dead end as soon as the porcupine makes his move. An awful premonition flashes through the wolf's head.

 **Kale** (fearfully whispering) **:** "No." (Yelling) NOOOO- _ **OOOOO!**_ "

He refocus on his side of the screen, the finish line now seeming miles away. But he doesn't give up, and presses the A button as hard as he can, hoping he can increase his car's speed by mere application of force.

It doesn't' work.

The SUV is 30 feet away from the finish line when the Ferrari, catapulted by the secret tunnel's speed booster pad, busts through some wooden boards at the end of the tunnel, and goes midair as it falls from its exit point and lands right on top of the finish line, ending the race!

 **Bucky:** "Yeah! I win!"

As Bucky's team celebrates, Kale still can't believe what just happened. " _It's not possible. It's_ _ **not**_ **possible** ," he says in his head in shock. The next step is acceptance...

And then, the reaction.

 **Kale** (whispering) **:** "I..."

The porcupines stop cheering and turn their heads in the wolf's direction with wide eyes.

 **Kale** (normal volume) **:** "...Was..."

 **Porcupines in unison:** "Uh-oh..."

 **Kale** (raised and angered voice) **:** "...So..."

 **Emma:** "Protect the TV and Xbox!"

 **Kale** (screaming at the top of his lungs) **:** "CLLLOOOOOOOOOOSSEEEEEE!"

The ground seems to shake from the fury of Kale's last word alone, and the TV wobbles when he starts beating his clenched forepaws into the ground in a fit of rage. Emma and Spike make sure to move the controller away out of fear that the wolf would either break it or throw it into the TV, but they are as surprised as they are grateful that Kale doesn't vent his frustration on any electronics.

After some more screaming, Kale starts yelling many words in Spanish which, given his temper and tone, are curse words. Although it still means the canine has some serious anger management problems, the porcupines are thankful that Kale at least has the decency to speak in a different tongue—and that they don't understand him.

Kale pants heavily once he's finished, and once it's clear that he's calmed down Bucky feels safe enough to speak, but he chooses his words wisely.

 **Bucky:** "Don't be so hard on yourself, dude. The only reason you los—um, the only reason why things happened the way they did—was because I've had more practice. And if I didn't get a speed boost, you would've won fair and square."

 **Emma:** "And if we could have talked to each other, we would have been able to tell you about the weapons and race course."

 **Kale** (dryly) **:** "Like _dat_ makes losin' ta prey any less disgraceful."

 **Rachel:** "Remember, you're not with your pack, so we won't tell anyone that you didn't win."

 **Kale** (sincere) **:** "It's more dan that..." (Takes a breath and speaks in a depressed tone) "Ya know, before my hunt I always won against prey and only lost ta other predators, like a wolf should. But now, it looks like a domino effect's in da works."

When the rodents' eyebrows raise in comprehension of what Kale just said, the wolf realizes he let another secret slip. This time, however, he doesn't remain silent.

 **Kale** (embarrassed and muttering to himself more than the listeners) **:** "I shouldn't'a said dat." (Stern and to the listeners) "You's didn't hear nothin' I just said and we's _not_ gonna talk about it ever again, capeesh?"

 **Porcupines in unison** (nodding) **:** "Of course."

 **Kale** (low but serious) **:** "I mean it."

 **Porcupines in unison:** "So do we."

 **Quillo:** "But it's only a video game, it's not real. Remember, the only kind of victory here is bragging rights, and we already said we wouldn't tell anyone else about defeating you."

Bucky feels a sudden wave a sweat forming all over his body—the kind that happens when someone comes within an inch of getting killed—at his brother's poorly chosen word of "defeating."

 **Bucky** (nervous) **:** "Bro...You shouldn't have—"

 **Kale** (to Quillo in rage) **:** "Say dat again and I'll bite off your—!"

 **Quillo:** "—You can't do anything to me. Remember the deal?"

Not only are the 19-year-old's words spoken without a trace of fear, but they prove to Kale that the parents of this group of animals aren't the only ones who have anything resembling a brain in their heads.

 **Kale** (thinking) **:** " _Ese trato estúpido...But then again, I'm da one who agreed to it._ " (Out loud) "You're lucky. That deal's dee only thing keepin' me from maiming you's."

 **Note** **: "Ese trato estúpido" means "That stupid deal" in Spanish.**

 **Spike:** "Again, it's just a video game. We were playing to have fun."

 **Kale:** "It's no fun if I can't insult n' beat prey."

 **Emma:** "Didn't you have _any_ fun during the race?"

Normally Kale would have followed up with a retort, like a wolf should do. But instead, the part of him that is a kid who just wants to have fun with his life, speaks his honest feelings.

 **Kale:** "Well...I liked it when da cannon shot my car inta the air from the base to da peak of the mountain."

Kale isn't the only one who has an inner child somewhere in himself, as Spike says in gushing excitement, "No kidding! That's, like, always my favorite part of the course whenever I get to drive!"

 **Emma** (same tone as Spike) **:** "It's just as fun to watch, too!"

 **Kale:** "Hold onna second...Did we just agree on somethin'?"

 **Spike:** "You bet. And if you wanna win while having fun, you'd better start agreeing with us more."

 **Kale:** "Are you suggestin' anoth'a deal?"

 **Spike** (rolls his eyes) **:** "Not every decision we 'prey' have to make with a predator like you has to be a deal. We're just trying to have a normal interaction, for a change."

 **Bucky:** "So let's ask you a question. Don't worry, it's not about wolves, it's a question to _you_. Do you want to keep playing the video game?"

 **Kale:** " 'Course I do, I gotta make you's pay for beatin' me."

 **Emma:** "In order to do that, you need us to talk to you so we can tell you about the shortcuts and the weapons."

 **Spike:** "And the only way that can happen is if you don't insult us, even when we might make a mistake that causes a setback. Only by working together is it possible for you to win against a seasoned veteran like my big brother."

 **Kale:** "FYI, I'm capable of learnin' from past mistakes on my own."

 **Emma:** "We know that. But you wanna get back at Bucky's team, right?"

 **Kale:** "Yeah."

 **Emma:** "And you wanna do it hopefully in the next race, right?"

 **Kale:** "I'm not gonna hope for it, I'm gonna _do_ it."

 **Emma:** "Then remember what Uncle Hammy said: it's a sign of strength to get help from someone else, no matter if they're prey or not."

 **Spike:** "And we promise not to tell anyone that we helped you."

 **Kale:** "Dat's not good 'nuff ta make me stop acting like a wolf."

 **Spike thinking:** " _Uh...Do I always have to appeal to Kale's violent nature to make him compromise? This better not become a regular thing..._ " (Out loud) "How about this: if we break our promise by telling anyone that we helped you with the video game, then you can kill us—regardless of the deal you made with our family."

Everyone's eyes stare at Spike in shock. Naturally, the other porcupines' eyes are full of betrayal and fear, whereas Kale's are full of admiration for such a gutsy move. He is so impressed that it would be foolish of him to disagree.

 **Bucky:** "Now hold on—"

 **Kale:** "—Agreed, Spike."

 **Quillo:** "We didn't say that we—"

When Spike turns around to look at Quillo, Kale thinks he's giving his brother a stern look, which explains Quillo's response of, "Okay..." However, Kale doesn't realize that Spike had winked at Quillo (and the others who were looking at him), which gives the once nervous rodents the real spiel of the deal just made.

It is Spike who is taking advantage of Kale, rather than Kale taking advantage of them. The recent deal would be off as soon as Kale's hotheadedness does him in, so in order to prevent that the wolf will _have_ to be nicer to his teammates and opponents.

 **Quillo thinking:** " _That's my bro._ "

This is far from the first time Spike has done something like this. Growing up with two other brothers, all of whom were rambunctious and bossy, Spike (and Bucky and Quillo) has plenty of experience of leading someone using a carrots and sticks strategy. Each of the brothers have double, and triple, crossed the others in some form or another, even before RJ came into their lives. Their parents did a good job of ending several dubious sibling betrayals and fights, but even Lou and Penny couldn't stop their boys from being boys. Since RJ joined the family, the triplets have become more devious in their sibling shenanigans, using the items from the human world in their blackmailing and pranks. What they are doing with Kale right now is just another example of that.

 **Quillo** (to Kale) **:** "Since you're still the guest, you can pick the next race course."

Kale nods and turns his attention to the screen.

* * *

The teens played four more matches before their parents called for them to come help with looting from human houses. The second match was at the race course shaped like a big circle that Kale chose under the impression that no shortcuts would give him the advantage once he selected a faster car. And he was right. He won the second race, lost the third race at the city stage, and got fourth place (and Bucky's team got second place) at the figure eight course which was when they started bringing in CPUs, and won the last race at the off-road stadium. Whenever he won he naturally gloated, but as what happened whenever his reactions to the pratfalls that lead to those hard-earned victories, the porcupines reminded him not to insult them or else their deal was off. To say that made playing with the wolf more bearable would be a huge understatement.

But Kale was by no means unable to bend the rules of the deal himself. When he raged over being hit with a weapon, or falling off the edge from one of the other three race courses, he spoke in Spanish. He of course had to translate whenever a teenage porcupine asked, which was the latter's way of ensuring Kale didn't say anything hurtful to them. Kale chose not to lie in order to build their confidence in him. And when the translations became too much of a pace breaker, the porcupines stopped asking Kale altogether and focused instead on having fun. From that point on, Kale _did_ insult his adversaries, but the insults weren't as bad as what he had called Spike and Emma.

None of this overshadows the fact that Kale had a blast. He liked it best whenever he won, but even when he lost he couldn't get enough of wreaking havoc on the other team and CPUs with the power-ups. It was like being a predator on the race track, except he was armed with all sorts of weapons that he could never use in the wild. He became so obsessed with having fun—real fun—that he gradually stopped getting as angry whenever he was hit by an item or lost a race.

And although he wanted to ignore it at first, by the fourth race he could not deny that his improvement with the game was no doubt the result of Emma and Spike helping him out. He still saw them as inferior to himself, still felt agitated that he was relying on their advice to win, and still didn't openly thank them. But when Spike's grip had slipped from the left trigger during the last race, causing Kale to run into a curb instead of turning sharply, and Spike nervously apologized—expecting Kale to lash out—the wolf's reply of, "No sweat, we'll get 'em for dat!" was a clear indication that Kale's attitude had improved.

* * *

Playing the video game was the start of a domino effect that, over the next week, made Kale see his time with this group of animals not as a prison sentence he has to bear with until he fully recovers, but as a vacation from his pack. A vacation in which he still can't use his hind legs, but a vacation nonetheless. Of course, he and the hedgies had to get back to business whenever he smelt his pack members coming to check in on him, but after those fake-outs it was back to being free from wolf society.

He revealed a bit more about himself when they asked him more questions. He learned to speak Spanish from his brothers who learned it from their grandparents, Sniff-Trackers Tail Chaser and Fancy whose parents came from Mexico. When he told them how wolves earn their names rather than get named, the hedgies understandably found it strange to have to go through multiple names instead of keeping one. But they agreed that receiving names upon discovering one's special talent is fitting for wolves, even though Kale loathed at Mary's comparison of wolf-naming to what Kale termed as "a softcore version of livestock brands" from some girly pony cartoon she frequently watches. He also told them the names of the wolves in his pack, but couldn't go into any greater details than that because he'd be betraying them and his species by leaking classified predator information. After all, he was still loyal to his pack who were his family.

He did reveal how wolves officially join a pack by taking an oath structured as a question and answer session led by the pack godfather in which candidates swear absolute, undying loyalty to each and every member in the pack. The questions asked during the oath sent a chill down the preys' spines. The idea of coming to the pack whenever they summon for you even when your best friend needs you to support him through emotional crisis, or when your child is being attacked, or when your own mother is on her deathbed with five minutes left to live...all of it is just plain disturbing. The reasoning is that the pack is now a wolf's family, and any prior blood ties and friendships meant nothing. The Q/A session was easy for Kale and his brothers because their parents died and they had no other friends, but most wolves aren't that fortunate and have to make that grave sacrifice.

Regardless, if a candidate passes the Q/A section, the final part of wolf pack oath involves the godfather ordering one of the members to bite the candidate's paw hard enough to draw blood and repeat after the godfather (while the biting wolf's grip is maintained) that "I am now a part of this pack, this family, which I will value more than the life of anyone I know, including myself. My life now exists for the sole purpose of serving my pack. Everything I say and do is for the pack. By my life or death I promise to never betray the pack in any form, because they are now my family. And I accept the punishment that if I do betray the pack, I will bleed just like my paw." When the candidate is finished, the godfather responds by putting his foreleg around the candidate's foreleg shoulder and saying, "Welcome to the pack, and your family."

After the forest animals answered his question about how they met each other, Kale found it curious as he did wimpy at how much easier it was for the hedgies to become part of their current family. Sure, the parts about the ones who had to struggle to survive and the adventures they went on were interesting, but when they joined the big family there were no oaths, no Q/As promising to value the family more than one's own blood relatives, and no infliction of physical wounds to emphasize the sincerity of joining a new family. There was only a sappy group hug. All they had to do was love each other and give each other comfort and support, since the promise of the omnivores not eating the others is more of a silent and obvious vow. Kale didn't envy that at all and preferred wolves' harsher methods of joining a pack, which is something he let them know with some more shameless and "colorful" dialogue.

However, when he was finished and the situation had cooled down, he realized that he softened the blows of his insults, which was strange. That was enough to make Kale's wolf-conscience try to reassert itself in his mind.

Kale said to himself, " _You's gettin' rusty at bein' a wolf. Don't you's dare start goin' soft on deese critters! It don't matter if they've been taking care of ya in ways besides helpin' ya's injuries. When everything's said and done, they're ya's prey!_ "

But in comparison to how his wolf-conscience was before the night they first pretended he was ruling over them like a dictator, the-wolf conscience was now a whisper rather than a yell; it is present, but it holds no power over him.

The truth is that, over the past week, the relationship between himself and the hedgies has changed from one based on merits and actions—that is, if he treats them well, they will treat him well—to one similar to the unconditional affection they have for each other. But then again, RJ and a few others treated him well the first night they met, before taking him in with them, so even the former analogy is incorrect. Even so, to say his relationship with the prey is one based on unconditional love would be a lie. The hedgies still don't love him like their own, he still doesn't consider them even pals, and their hatred and fear of him has increased or decreased depending on his words and actions. But something Kale didn't expect was that his hatred for them has been getting smaller the more time he spends with them. He's been citing their deal less and less when interacting with them, and is finding out that not being so aggressive all the time has its perks. He did have to promise to never eat them, but he doesn't have to prove himself as worthy to make them show him how to have a good time their way. They did that because they wanted to, and their generosity and personalities is something Kale finds irresistible.

Kale still had to continually remind himself not to get so attached to the feeling of having true fun and being free from the laws of wolf society, because it will all go away when he rejoins his pack. Nevertheless, he tremendously enjoyed it, every moment of it. He was so immersed in that good feeling that he didn't wonder a question he should have pondered sooner until the start of his second week with the forest family.

 **Kale thinking:** " _I wonder how my pack's been doin'?_ "

* * *

With the exception of the kind of relationship improvements Kale has gone through, the two weeks of Kale's absence from the Bone-Chompers has surprisingly gone just as uneventful as Kale's time with the prey animals. Gabby's left hind ankle as become better, but still needs a little more time to fully heal, and the pack has tightened their hold on their current territories. The most recent observation of Kale done by Emmy has also answered the inconsistency that Luciano and Bugsy noted before the wolves had their rest time after Bonnie and Clyde had returned. Emmy discovered that the reason Kale didn't have Mary and Bernard with him the night Luciano and Bugsy came to get him was, according to Kale's words spoken angrily at his prey animal slaves, "I passed out after you's were done treatin' my wounds. And since you's are such gourmets who can't eat ya's natural diet as a result of eatin' human food so much, dee only way you's could've gotten a bite ta eat the next morning is if you's came within grabbin' distance from me. I would'a held one of ya's hostage until swappin' with da coon-possum hybrids. Fortunately, my brotha's destruction saved me a lot'a trouble, and I grabbed da squirrel when he rushed ahead of the rest of you's when ya's tried to beat me up for accusin' me of destroying ya's things."

However, as expected, for every answer there came another question, with the most recent being: with other young raccoons, a turtle, and a skunk-cat hybrid that Track could use as his hostages, why did the wolf only use the raccoon-possum hybrids? Capone is currently observing Kale and isn't scheduled to be back for another hour or so, leaving the Bone-Chompers to debate that peculiarity until the smartest wolf in the pack returns.

 **Gabby:** "If I was Track, I'd change hostages every day ta spice things up since I'd get bored of threatenin' da same two all the time. Wha'da you think, Dillinger?"

Dillinger tilts his head to one side while giving a fed-up version of the famed Elvis lip along with some angry-eyes. What he's thinking is anyone's guess, but it's clear that he has no intention of wasting his voice on Gabby's question.

 **Gabby:** "Well someone's woken up on da wrong side'a da bed—for the past two weeks. But den again, we wolves don't sleep in beds, so who am I ta talk."

The only thing restraining Dillinger from slapping Gabby upside the head is the knowledge that Leo or Emmy would hit him twice as hard.

 **Nelson:** "My guess is dat da hybrid kids are the offspring of da raccoon in-charge, so Track needs him ta obey him the most."

 **Clyde:** "True, but what about da young turtle? The older male turtle has a lotta authority among dat zoo-family too."

There is silence for a brief moment as no one can think of a reason. Wanting to change the subject, Luciano says, "Well, at least dis means Kale will be a true Bone-Chomper when he returns. He's been doin' everything a wolf should be doin' in his situation."

 **Leo:** "Don't jump the gun, Luciano. Track may be doin' well against a group of prey, but ya gotta remember dat he got the drop on 'em instead of beating them inna fight."

 **Bugsy:** "To be fair, our hermanito couldn't fight them properly without his hind legs. So wouldn't ya think him takin' a hostage in order ta make 'em his slaves was dee only option available to 'im?"

 **Note** **: "Hermanito" means "little brother" in Spanish.**

 **Bonnie:** "Why're ya's two defendin' him so much? You's were just as frustrated as us with his incompetence before his failed hunt."

 **Gabby:** "You's even stopped callin' him Track, so what gives?" (Insulting rhetoric) "You's gone soft 'r somethin'?"

Everyone stares at Gabby in shock, and even Dillinger makes an audible gasp. As for the two former Sniff-Tracker brothers...

 **Luciano** (soft but angry) **:** "What?"

 **Bugsy** (normal volume and angry) **:** "Did?"

 **Luciano** (loud and angry) **:** "You?"

 **Luciano and Bugsy in unison** (yelling and angry) **:** "Say?!"

The two run up into Gabby's face, causing her to actually cringe back. Bugsy is relentless and doesn't waste time giving her a piece of his mind.

 **Bugsy:** "You callin' me and my Brohan—the most devious blackmailer and turf-war-starter in dis pack—soft?!"

 **Luciano:** "One more word outta you's, Gabriella, and you's gonna have a pretty new scar on ya's angel-face!"

 **Gabby:** "You's do that and my parents'll—"

 **Luciano:** "You's da one who's soft if ya's still hidin' behind ya mommy's and daddy's back whenever you's big mouth gets ya inta trouble!"

 **Emmy:** "Dat's actually true."

Now everyone stares at Emmy; with Gabby, Luciano and Bugsy going "What?!"; Bonnie, Clyde, and Nelson going "Huh?!"; and Dillinger humming "Hm?" Only Leo doesn't seem surprised by his mate's words, which makes this situation all the more baffling.

 **Emmy:** "What you said ta Luciano and Bugsy is wrong, Gabby. You wouldn't unda'stand dee importance of sticking up for a sibling, no matter how much of a foul-up they are. And you can't keep relying on your pops and I ta get ya outta every bind; a strong wolf would find a solution on dare own. And remember Gabby, you's gotta make a name for ya'self 'cuz no daughter of ours is gonna be a freeloader."

Gabby gulps and turns her attention to the grinning Bugsy and Luciano.

 **Luciano:** "So...what's it gonna be, Gabby?"

 **Bugsy:** "You know what we's want."

Gabby finally realizes that she has overstepped her bounds, and must fix things on her own. In such a dire situation even pride has one course of action: humility.

 **Gabby:** "I'm sorry for callin' ya's soft, Bugsy and Luciano. My big mouth can get me inta real trouble if I's not careful. You's right, I'm da one who's soft, not you's. But I won't call ya's dat ever again." (Thinking) " _Unless dare's real proof dat ya's two truly do become soft._ " (Out loud) "And I haven't forgotten of dee importance of makin' a name for myself, mom and papa, and won't let ya's down."

 **Luciano:** "Apology accepted, Gabby."

 **Bugsy:** "But you should'a seen ya's face. It looked just like a prey animal's whenever I tell 'em dare time is up in my one-sided deals."

 **Gabby:** "Why you—!"

 **Luciano:** "Doesn't feel good ta have someone else gloat at you's mishaps, is it?"

Gabby feels like she's going to explode in anger, but remembers that she'll receive a beating if she does. She'd normally risk it, but her ankle will prevent her from fighting back properly.

 **Gabby** (soft but darkly) **:** "I'll get ya's for dat."

Because he's standing next to Dillinger whom the others don't normally look at since they aren't used to him expressing himself, Nelson doesn't hesitate to roll his eyes and he shakes his head from side to side in disgust. She hasn't learned her lesson at all because there it is, the only thing more annoying about Gabby than her loud mouth: failing to see the irony at how irritated it makes her to hear another creature gloating.

 **Nelson thinking:** " _Hypocrite..._ "

In response to Gabby's threat, Luciano says in a cool, even voice, "It's a mistake ta warn a wolf about you's revenge plans. I'll be waitin' for you ta make a fool of ya'self."

 **Emmy:** "Now, now people. Pah-leeease. You's acting like a buncha pups. We shouldn't be fighting each other. We should be working together ta discuss how Track's lording over the prey won't automatically make him a Bone-Chomper when he returns."

She looks at Leo to see if he wants to lead the discussion, only to smile when he motions for her to continue. That's part of what makes her marriage with him so happy: Leo places his full trust in her, and lets her make as much a contribution to their goals both as a family and as a wolf pack as he does. That makes Emmy take time to reminisce about her life before and after she met Leo.

* * *

Emmy was born and raised in Canada—hence why her "Mafia accent" isn't as pronounced as most American wolves—where she earned and kept her name from the onset. That was a rare occurrence for wolves since they usually go through about two names total (not counting "Runt," "Pup," or "Whelp") before keeping their permanent one, but Emmy was special and in more ones than one. She was born prettier than most female wolf pups, had a perfect teeth and jaw arrangement, claws that were just the right length, no too much and not too little face-fur, and not too big but not too small ears, nose, and muzzle length. When she was four, she demonstrated how those beautiful features also made her fearsome in a fight with a human hunter who tried to add the stellar-looking wolf pup to his trophy collection, which only reinforced her name of Emmy. She would have killed the man, but was forced to retreat when his companions came in with their guns blazing. Nevertheless, from then on her parents and three brothers (she was the second oldest child in her family) realized two important things about their daughter and/or sibling: she is beautiful, but deadly.

If wolves could get casted as movie stars, Emmy would get every female lead no matter the genre. Plus, she could be her own stunt lady. That fun lasted until she turned 10-years-old, when she was hunting alone and bit off more than she could chew while pursuing a seemingly solo female moose. The cow was part of a herd that had been a popular target for predators in the province Emmy's family inhabited. The herd had always lived in constant fear and suffered many losses, until one day the group of moose had had enough, and snapped. Wanting to put an end to their never-ending woes, the largest members of the deer family devised a plan to let a cow pose as easy-pickings for a predator—which happened to be Emmy that day—whereby the moose led the wolf right into her herd's meeting place where they attacked with steam and vinegar. Emmy was easily knocked to the ground from a blow to the face and would have been trampled to death if she hadn't jumped up high and clung onto a moose's left side using her teeth. A nearby moose t-boned the one Emmy was holding on to, which made the bull behind that one scoop her up with his antlers and toss her like a rag doll. She landed up in a tree that was too high for the moose to reach her, so the Alces left the scene shortly after that. Emmy was hurt pretty badly when her parents and brothers found her, and they never again let her hunt alone.

From then on, Emmy's parents tried to keep their favorite and only daughter safe from harm, to make sure nothing would happen to her that would require a name change. But Emmy didn't want to sit on the sidelines and watch her family do all the work, she wanted to be in the fray with them. This made her desire to find a wolf who was more adventurous, who gambles, and who wouldn't mind her getting her paws dirty, while also being able to help her in a pinch. Until then, she was stuck with reconnaissance and scouting duties with her family pack, the latter would hunt while she would scope out where their next targets were located and warn the others of anything hostile approaching while they took down prey.

However, she did some side-hunting jobs on her own, in secret. She became known for only hunting her _special_ prey in which she would fight another animal, just not at her fullest potential as a means to garner if they were a worthy opponent for her to chase. When the "skirmish" was over, she would capture the creature, make a claw mark somewhere on its body—"leaving her mark on them" as she called it—and then give her special prey the chance to run before coming after them at her full potential. Until she killed her special prey, that prey is all she ever thought about. And she has never had to think too much or too long about any of her special prey.

After her coming-of-age hunt when she was 15, she decided it was time for her to join a different pack, one that would use her physical features to hunt instead of for show. Fearing that her reputation would cause the opposite to happen if she joined another Canadian wolf pack, she moved south to America. Both male and female American wolves turned out to be exactly as she expected them to be (as rumored by Canadian wolves): hotshot, cocky, foreigner-loathing, show-offs and self-proclaimed know-it-alls who think they're number one in everything when compared to the rest of the world. It was hard for Emmy to find any wolf pack that wouldn't poke fun "aboot" her Canuck accent, "eh?", or demand she return back to where she came from, and harder still to find a lover who was interested in her for her hunting prowess rather than her "hot bod." In all honesty, she admittedly enjoyed seeing male wolves make fools of themselves while trying to impress her, or breaking their hopes and dreams of being with her by telling them they're not good enough for her standards. But her happiest moments in America at that point in her life was killing any stubborn suitors who gunned for her in revenge, or who didn't know how to take no for an answer.

She just about gave up on America and would have headed back to Canada where she could get away from the bigotry and poon hounds, until she literally bumped into Leo who had her "special prey" adolescent wolverine in his teeth. She argued with him how she had marked the mustelid which meant it was her prey alone, to which Leo retorted with a "Ya snooze ya lose, lady." Emmy would have ignited a fight had Leo not curiously asked, "Wait a sec. _You_ hunt wolverines too?" That's when the questions began that turned two strangers into friends. Leo admired Emmy for her strength from the very beginning and saw her as a hunter instead of eye candy, and Emmy admired Leo for being the first American wolf not to fall into the typical American stereotype. What made him a formidable predator in her eyes wasn't so much because he was strong and intelligent as in the way he measured every step and timed every strike in any engagement, was realistic enough to know that each hunt could be his last, and had the common sense to cut his losses if needed. In other words he wasn't a showoff, didn't judge her by her nationality, didn't treat her like a trophy wife, and understood he isn't number one; that there's always a predator that could rip him to shreds if he isn't careful.

Although he did fit the hotshot American stereotype, he was the only wolf she had met who was a true hotshot. Deeper still, he was _the_ perfect wolf, both by predator standards and in how he was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. It didn't take long for Leo and Emmy to fall head over heels in love with each other after that conversation. When Leo asked her if she's up for living in America for the rest of her life, Emmy told him that if she ever had a return-fly ticket, she would tear it up and shove it down Canadian wolves' throats, because she's never going back home again. Moreover, if she had an immigrant visa she'd stick it up the nose of every American wolf she had met before Leo. The wolves in those two categories never gave her a chance for her to unleash her full potential, but with Leo that issue was put to bed—permanently.

Although Leo's dream of starting the best wolf pack in America was a top priority in the first few years of their marriage, he always found the time to spend with Emmy as her loving mate. Leo always flattered her whenever he told her she's like a bald eagle: beautiful to look at, but mess with her and she will use her perfect claws and teeth to let aggravators have it! And what flatters Emmy about Leo is his dedication bordering on excessiveness. If he has to wipe out the entire state's population of deer just because one single member has a flea, or go on a perilous cross-country journey just to find a place for his pack to call home, he will do it without hesitation or second thoughts.

He is just as dedicated to each of his pack members and mate as he is in leading the best wolf pack ever. Which means she is just as dedicated to ensuring his dream-made-reality continues for as long as they live.

* * *

Speaking of which, she now knows how to follow up on what she has been talking about in regards to Track.

 **Emmy:** "Despite everything positive about Track that we've been saying, Track still won't be considered a true Bone-Chomper even when he rejoins our pack. Not only for dominating over prey through hostages and blackmailin' instead of fighting, but Track also hasn't single-handedly defeated a predator that could eat a wolf for breakfast, which is da true initiation inta our pack."

 **Bugsy:** "We unda'stand that, Emmy. But don't ya's think your mate may have jumped da gun when he banished Kale under the impression that it'd hurt our reputation?"

 **Leo:** "How many times do I have ta remind you's about dat, Bugsy? When we're number one every mistake we make is highlighted, and it's always a long fall from the top."

 **Bugsy:** "But no other predators have tried ta attack us, even when news of Kale's debacle has had two weeks of circulation time. Da prey critters in our territories haven't become bolder either, and still fear the mere thought of us."

 **Leo:** "Just because our competition hasn't tried ta capitalize on our pack's failure—"

 **Bugsy:** "—Doesn't mean dey think any less of us. I know. But it's dare problem if dey _think_ that we're not as threatenin'. They can think that about us all dey want. It's only when they speak like that dat when we know it's a true problem."

 **Leo:** "For all we know, they could be spreadin' the word of dat in dare own territories."

 **Luciano:** "But only the ones in dose territories will—"

 **Leo:** "Enough!"

Luciano and Bugsy fall silent and continue to listen to their godfather.

 **Leo:** "You boys're still young and not as experienced as I am. It takes time for the small seeds of dissent ta bloom, but when they do it'll be big. Fortunately, we's got time ta prepare for dat moment, 'cuz no one'll be stupid enough ta come after us right now, now dat the weakest link is gone from our pack."

Everyone but Bugsy and Luciano nod in assurance of their godfather's words. The brothers look at each other and know what's on their sibling's mind. Even though Leo has a big responsibility to follow the codes of wolf society and to make sure his pack is the best in the nation, they still can't tolerate his calling their little brother the weakest link. The ties to their blood family overrides the laws of wolves, and each brother wants to make that clear despite the dangers of talking back to their pack godfather.

 **Bugsy:** "With all due respect, Leo, my Brohan and I will beat ya if ya refer Kale like dat ever again."

 **Leo** (slowly and menacingly) **:** "Will ya's now?"

Luciano didn't expect his brother to be so blunt, which puts him on edge. He knows that he and Bugsy won't be able to defeat a wolf as strong, smart, and seasoned as Leo in a fight. Wanting to prevent that, he quickly follows up with a response that will make the pack do some serious soul-searching.

 **Luciano:** "Kale may not be up ta our pack's standards, but he isn't da weakest link. He used ta be weak until we all helped him improve his abilities. Didn't all that time and effort ya's put inta dat mean anything to ya's? Don't ya's feel like somethin' is missin' from our lives now dat he isn't here with us?"

Leo inhales through his nose, preparing to answer, when his keen sense of smell catches a whiff of something that's off.

 **Leo:** "Shh."

 **Luciano:** "You shushing us?!"

 **Leo:** "Quiet. Do any of ya smell dat?"

The others sniff and do in fact detect something out of place—or rather out of territory.

 **Bonnie:** "Smells like—"

A loud masculine voice fills the air howling, "Woooooo—!"

 **Other voices:** "Hooo-oooooo!"

 **Masculine voice:** "Woooooo—"

 **Other voices:** "Hooo-oooooo!"

 **Masculine voice:** "Wooooo—"

 **Other voices:** "Hoo-oooo!"

As soon as it began, the Bone-Chompers know who is coming. The loud and obnoxious howling is the war cry of a group of predators they are familiar with, for all the wrong reasons. Judging by the distance the voices originate from, Leo and his pack calculate that the attackers will show themselves when the next war cry ends, so the Bone-Chompers get into attack stances and wait. In spite of the seriousness of their situation, Leo, recalling his recent words with Luciano and Bugsy, can't help but muse in dry humor, " _Why do I always have ta be right?_ "

 **Masculine voice:** "Wooooo—!"

 **Other voices:** "Hooo-oooooo!"

As the Bone-Chompers predicted, their opponents emerge before them. It is a rival wolf pack composed of eight adult wolves of various fur colorations with the exception of a single light gray stripe running down their backs. This is the Rock-Buster Wolf Pack. Named after their reputation of being so strong that they bust rocks for fun, the Rock-Busters look like wolf body builders and are decked out with strong muscles all over their bodies. The Rock-Busters are composed of godfather Rock-Buster Granite, his mate Sandy Stone, their son Graphite, and the un-related wolves Marble (a male), Limestone (a female), Quartz (a male), Sedimentary "Sedi" (a female), and Obsidian "Obi" (a male)—each named after their favorite "flavors" of rocks they like to bust, and each one's fur colors reflecting their rock names' colors.

The Rock-Busters have been enemies of the Bone-Chompers ever since Granite failed to pass his initiation when he tried out to be a Bone-Chomper. His task was to defeat a bear, but once he discovered the grizzly had him outmatched, Granite fled literally with his tail between his legs. Knowing that word about him wimping out would leave a mark of disgrace on his name, Granite tried to ensure the Bone-Chompers went down along with him by telling the bear where Leo's pack was. The ursine tried to kill them in their sleep, but failed, which made Granite realize he should rely on members of his own species to exact his revenge on the Bone-Chompers who were now his sworn enemies. It took Granite less time that he believed to make other wolves join his pack, because there are others who were just as mad for the Bone-Chompers refusing them to even have an initiation for "Just not being good enough." Granite intentionally named his pack the Rock-Busters as a means to incite rage in his rival's pack since rocks are harder than bones. In all honesty, they aren't the smartest of fighters, they are still naturally stronger than the Bone-Chompers and prefer to use brute force to overwhelm their opponents. And although the Rock-Busters are indeed a powerful wolf pack, only together can they defeat a superior predator instead of single-handedly like each Bone-Chomper minus Kale.

But now it seems like fortune has smiled upon Granite and his pack, and he speaks like it too.

 **Rock-Buster Granite:** "Hiya, hiya, hiyaaaaaah Bone-Munchers."

Leo doesn't take the bait and instead says, "Dat's the cheesiest war cry in wolf history. You're a disgrace to all wolfkind."

 **Rock-Buster Graphite:** "At least we's have a war cry. Every _true_ wolf pack should have one."

 **Gabby:** "War cries are for little boy scouts. Our pack's above dat childish thing."

 **Rock-Buster Marble:** "Funny you should say dat, bein' daddy's little girl and a mommy's little dolly."

 **Rock-Buster Limestone:** "Yea-eeeaaahh. Lil' Mrs. Princess needs her mommy n' daddy ta do everything for her, so she's allowed ta be pampered and lazy!"

 **Rock-Buster Quartz:** "She's no wolf, she's a dog! A dog that's all bark and no bite!"

If Gabby was mad before, when Luciano—her fellow pack member—gloated to her, she is ready to rip and tear apart the two enemy wolves who just antagonized her.

 **Gabby** (rhetorical) **:** "You've been keepin' up on current events for the last 10 years? 'Cuz I've killed five den loads of adult bears, twice as many wolverines, and three times are many wolves—all by myself. Dat's more dan anyone in you's whole pack, alone and combined! Suck on dat you measly—!"

Leo puts his paw on Gabby's shoulder to restrain her, but says in an inviting tone, "Now Gabby, play nicely...For now." (Looks at Granite) "What're ya's doing here?"

 **Granite:** "Fulfilling the codes of wolf society. We heard a buncha prey kids defeated all of you's."

 **Limestone:** "Losin' to prey is bad enough, but losin' to kids...now dat's a true disgrace to all wolfkind."

 **Rock-Buster Sandy Stone:** "So according to the laws of our species, a wolf pack who gets beat by prey kids doesn't deserve ta be the best wolf pack in da nation."

 **Nelson:** "You's're even less worthy!"

 **Rock-Buster Sedi:** "Says da guy who's named used ta be 'Wee-Willy-Washout.' "

 **Nelson:** "Wee-Willy-Washout is dead. Bone-Chomper Nelson killed 'im...just like I'm gonna kill _you's!_ "

 **Marble:** "You's think havin' da name of a human gangsta makes you cool? Hah!"

 **Nelson:** "Betta dan havin' da names of lame rocks."

 **Graphite:** "Speakin' of lame, where's da wolf among ya's who's too afraid to even talk?"

Dillinger walks in front of his pack, staring hard at the cocky wolf.

 **Graphite:** "Oo-ooooooo! Mr. No-Voice thinks bein' quiet makes him scaaa-ryyyy."

Dillinger, knowing that his slightest gesture would be seen and analyzed with all eyes staring at him, smiles in order to give the Rock-Buster wolves something to think about with unease: " _Uh-oh, he's smiling—what could_ that _mean?_ " **(1)**. However, it clearly doesn't have its intended effect.

 **Note : (1)=Based on **_**Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire**_ **by Steve Perry.**

 **Marble:** "See dat? He's smiling 'cuz he thinks he can intimidate us."

The Rock-Busters chuckle and Dillinger returns his expression back to his regular, angry frown.

 **Graphite:** "I thought the 'Black Wolf Ghost' would have betta scare tactics dan that."

 **Clyde:** "Enough with da tongue competition, let's fight already!"

Clyde snarls and barks sharply before jumping forward at the other wolf pack. Thinking that Leo or someone else would have stopped him, the Rock-Busters jolt and cringe in preparation for a blow, but it never comes because Clyde stops three feet from them.

 **Clyde:** "Hah! Fraidy babies!"

Clyde dashes back to the Bone-Chompers before Rock-Buster Marble can try to bite him.

 **Bonnie:** "My new mate's right. A pack of cowards would set a worse example for the best wolf pack in America dan any mistakes our weakest link made on a recent hunt."

Although Bugsy and Luciano want to berate Bonnie for that remark about Kale, they figure they need to let it slide since their pack needs unity more than ever right now. They need to be as supportive of their pack as the Rock-Busters are with theirs.

 **Granite:** "That don't change the fact that now we have an opportunity to not only get revenge on you's, but ta make our pack the best in the nation—as it always should be!"

 **Marble:** "We figured with word'a ya's failure spreadin' around, every predator in the state will be comin' ta ice ya's. We decided not ta wait and get to ya's first."

 **Luciano:** "Dat's another reason you's pack will always be inferior. Rather than takin' da slow, long, and honorable way of gettin' to the top by defeating other apex predators and thousands of prey, and holding onto vast territory, you's just wait until ya can steal the top spot from others like a buncha parasites."

 **Bugsy:** "Even if you's could defeat us—and we's just pretendin, since dat's impossible—you's previous record of epic fails would overshadow any instant success. Other packs would come after ya's for being illegitimate usurpers."

 **Limestone:** "Sounds like someone's tryin' ta talk us out of attacking you's...which means you're scared!"

 **Leo:** "Your pack would know all about fear, right Granite?"

 **Granite:** "I oughta—!"

He gets a grip when his wolf intellect tells him in his mind to bide his time and wait to attack when everyone's not looking at him. It's almost unbearable, but he lets Leo continue without interrupting him.

 **Leo:** "You's dirt bags can barely kill a teenage grizzly even when workin' together. Each member of my pack can take out an adult wolverine all by ourselves, so what makes you's think you can beat us?"

 **Granite:** "Because we's—"

Everyone's tongues and thoughts are suddenly interrupted by something that sounds like a hospitalized chain smoker who has gone through two iron lungs rasping out their death-cough right before dying slowly and miserably. It starts low, then slowly but surely rises in volume, going from surprising, to disturbing, and finally horrifying. All eyes turn in the noise's direction and discover the cause: Dillinger chuckling. Even his allies are disturbed by the sound simply because it is something they have never heard before **(2)**. The only thing more unsettling than the noise itself is the lack of a reason why he is doing it. Nothing Leo or Granite has said would warrant any humor whatsoever.

 **Note : (2)=Based on **_**Star Wars: Tales of the Bounty Hunters: Payback**_ **by Dave Wolverton.**

 **Sandy Stone:** "What's so funny, ya—?"

A flash of motion and Marble yelps when he is bitten in the right foreleg shoulder by Gabby who, taking advantage of everyone else's distraction of Dillinger, snuck close to the Rock-Busters undetected.

That's the spark that lights the powder keg.

Leo and Emmy oddly don't feel worried about their daughter and understand why Gabby wanted to score the first hit, and are proud of her for it. Gabby has been itching, lustful even, to show those _dogs_ that she isn't daddy's little girl or mommy's little dolly. Instead, she is daddy's little lapdog and mommy's little soldier. Leo smiles at his daughter's tenacity that he loved so much about her. Gabby doesn't need a big, strong male to stand up for her, she could stand on her own four feet, even when injured.

Naturally, the Rock-Busters immediately target Gabby who, remembering her father's lessons, leaps out of the way and causes Quartz to run into Marble. As she does that, however, Graphite notices her jump isn't as high as in his previous encounters with her, then sees her land on three of her four legs. Just as the Bone-Chompers enter the fray in a good old fashioned foot battle collision, Graphite yells, "Her left hind leg is injured! Go for it!"

Limestone is closest and lunges for Gabby who jumps up again—just as the Rock-Buster intended. Sandy Stone leaps up to intercept Gabby in midair, but only gets intercepted herself by Bonnie. Once on the ground, Sandy rolls out of the way before Bonnie can claw at her while the Bone-Chomper remains still. Bonnie quickly gets back up and bends her knees to prepare to run, but is then shoved back down to the ground by Granite who attacks her from the side.

 **Granite:** "Stay away from my mate, you!—"

Before he can call her a dog-specific insult, Clyde rams into Granite and pushes him back a few feet with Graphite following close behind him.

 **Clyde** (to Granite) **:** "Stay away from _my_ mate! Let both our ladies have a cat fight!"

That's all Clyde can say before Graphite bites him on the tail, forcing the Bone-Chomper to focus all of his attention on dealing with Granite's son. Before Granite can capitalize on Clyde's distraction, Leo jumps between Granite and Clyde.

 **Leo:** " 'Sup?"

He instantly follows up with a claw slash to the face, and Granite lunges forward. They lock forepaws and engage in some dialogue as one tries to overpower the other in a classic match of playing mercy.

 **Granite:** "You's grip isn't as strong. You's gone soft after all."

 **Leo:** "If dat _was_ true, at least goin' soft is better dan bein' soft to begin with and never gettin' any better!"

 **Granite:** "Glad ta see ya still have a sense of humor. I'll make sure ta carve dose words on ya's grave stone. I would say it's a shame ta put an end to our relationship, but both of us know dat ain't true."

 **Leo:** "What I said wasn't a joke, and _you_ know it. Sure you's pack are physically strong and can bust rocks, but you've never been so much in the brains department...if ya's puny mind can comprehend my complex language."

 **Granite:** "Keep crack-talkin', it only makes me madder. Oh, how I've waited for this moment. When I can kill you for making a fool outta me in your pack's initiation! You're all I've thought about ever since. I've had plenty of time ta think of a way ta get the ultimate revenge on you. All I needed was to wait until you condemned ya'self, that way no one'll bat an eye at my pack's actions. When my pack kills all'uv you's, we'll erase all memory of your pack. Dee only thing your pack'll be known for is a footnote in the oral history of wolves. A footnote that'll say 'Dey squealed like lil' bunnies as they died'!"

 **Leo:** "You should'a thought of a betta plan, especially when I've gotten some new moves since our last brawl!"

Leo's grip tightens like a boa constrictor, proving that he had been toying with Granite the whole time as they played mercy. Granite groans from the pain and tries to escape Leo's hold by yanking his forepaws back, but Leo doesn't let go. Granite then uses the next best option for attack: his teeth. He jerks his head forward with his mouth wide open, only to chomp down on air because Leo had predicted his enemy's next (and obvious) move. Leo ducks and pushes his forepaws forward, releasing his grip while doing so which causes Granite to stumble back from the unexpectedness of Leo's move. Leo then dives toward Granite and grabs him by the neck. He's about to twist when Rock-Buster Obsidian comes in from the side and bites Leo on the neck. Leo lets go of Granite to scream, but just as the latter takes in two breaths, Dillinger appears out of nowhere and bites Granite on the neck again.

Obsidian and Dillinger lock eyes, each holding the lives of their enemy pack's godfather in their teeth. It starts as a standoff with the two wolves waiting for the other to let go first. Then, as if Obi and Dillinger can communicate telepathically, the two nod, having reached some sort of understanding. They each let go of their captives simultaneously and shoo them away. Obi says, "Fight elsewhere, boss" to Granite, and Dillinger looks hard at Leo as he jerks his head once over his left shoulder to motion at where Granite is standing, then jerking his head to the right twice while showing his bared teeth on the right side of his mouth. The wolf pack leaders obey and resume their fighting after giving Obi and Dillinger some space.

This fight between the two black-furred and red-eyed wolves is personal because these two canines have a history. Dillinger has a bone to pick with Obsidian who impersonated him in the past as a means to garner respect and reputation, whereas Obi had lost his fiancé to one of Dillinger's night raids to get revenge on the impersonations.

 **Obi:** "Today I'm gonna prove dat even a ghost can be killed. Say hello ta Tina for me."

Dillinger licks his lips while going "Mm-mmmmm," which is his way of saying how delicious Obi's intended mate was the night he had killed her. With his opponent steamed, which means Obsidian won't be fighting with a clear head, Dillinger plans to make the first move since he doesn't have stealth on his side. He is perfectly capable of attacking an opponent in the open, but isn't as formidable a brawler as Obsidian which means Dillinger must be extra careful in order to win. Unfortunately, he stumbles forward when Bonnie and Sandy Stone, rolling on their sides like crocodiles in a death roll, bump into his right hind leg. Dillinger is thrown off balance and Obi doesn't hesitate. He rushes forward and bites Dillinger's unprotected left flank, the impact clearly proving why the Rock-Busters are called that. But Dillinger eerily doesn't even grunt from the pain, and only exhales sharply. He also scratches Obi hard on the nose, forcing his opponent to turn around fully and retreat. When the Rock-Buster looks back to the spot he recalls Dillinger being, he is perplexed to see nothing. When he looks to the right in order to find another wolf to fight, he gasps when Dillinger's face fills his field of vision. The Black Wolf Ghost raises his eyebrows twice while smirking and bites Obi square on the muzzle. Obi goes for Dillinger's eyes with his right claws, but Dillinger bats his foreleg away. The only thing that forces Dillinger to release his hold on Obi is when Marble bites the Black Wolf Ghost in the left hind foot. Dillinger kicks backward with his right foot, only for Marble to let go of his left foot and bite the right one. Dillinger tries to jolt forward, but Marble's hold is too tight to break free from. Even worse, Obsidian's injury-fueled adrenaline makes him ignore the pain in his muzzle, and he bites down on Dillinger's own muzzle. Knowing that Obi would expect Dillinger to goes for his eyes, Dillinger does something more unexpected and drastic. He quickly bobs his head upward, enduring the pain it causes himself, and slashes Obi's now unprotected throat. The wolf immediately lets go of Dillinger, wheezes, then falls to the ground and doesn't get back up.

In reaction to what he has just seen, Marble reflexively yells, "You killed Obi! You—!"

By the time Dillinger leaps and grips his mouth on Marble's right ear, the latter realizes he had let go of his adversary to speak. Dillinger's thoughts communicate the message Marble just learned the hard way.

 **Dillinger thinking:** " _Distraction in battle is fatal. 'Nother reason thinking is betta dan speaking._ "

* * *

Elsewhere, Emmy has picked a fight with Quartz once his taunts had become unbearable. The problem is, the taunts haven't stopped and are continuing even during their fight. Quartz has the upper hand right now and just scores a cut across Emmy's right side.

 **Quartz:** "Dis is America, where folks say 'about' instead of _aboot_ , and say 'again' instead of a _-gain_." (Grabs Emmy's right hind leg with his teeth and trips her) "Where it's summer for more dan two months." (Hops in place to dodge Emmy's claw swipe aimed at his legs, then uses both paws to keep her head on the ground) "Where bein' brave and free is more important dan ice hockey and curling. Not ta mention ya's country was founded by the snobby, French surrender-jockeys. My country was founded by the fierce and defiant who didn't take no one's orders but dare own. You don't belong here, so go back home!"

When Quartz raises his right forepaw to strike Emmy, she breaks her head free of the now-reduced weight holding her down, aims low, and bites Quartz in the left forepaw, causing Quartz to fall flat on the ground.

 **Emmy:** "You think being American makes you tough? Hah! Canada has da harshest winters in North America." (Slashes Quartz's back) "Steel goes brittle at 60 degrees below zero, and snaps like a toothpick." (Dodges Quartz as he tries to bite her, then leaps on top of him and starts scratching him with all four clawed paws) "Only the strong and the smart can survive up there."

Emmy stops spinning in a way that makes her head face his hind legs. She takes Quartz's left hind leg into her teeth and snaps it with a hard yank, causing him to scream in pain.

 **Emmy:** "Wolves in Canada compete against fast n' fearsome wolverines, instead of dumb 'n slow grizzlies!" (Bites Quartz on the left cheek and yanks some fur out to create a bald spot) "Our natural diet comes from big-horned, buff moose, not scrawny, twig-headed deer!" (Digs her forepaw claws into the side of Quartz's neck) "You's dealing with a seasoned veteran of wildlife survival. I was huntin' stoats as a whelp, while you's were struggling ta eat slugs!"

Emmy pauses to hear Quartz gasping for air, and with his strength ebbing away it's only a matter of time before her fatal grip takes its toll. Therefore, Emmy wants to end things with a bang aimed right at Quartz's ego.

 **Emmy:** "And everything you hold so high about you's American heritage is rendered worthless when ya realize dat it was founded by immigrant rejects from other countries!" (Tightens her grip in his neck and leans close to his ear to speak) "Go back home? You kiddin'? I _am_ home! I'm a predator among predators! And you're aren't even my prey. You're just meat!"

Emmy pulls out her claws, puts her teeth around Quartz's neck, twists, and the loud _Snap!_ speaks for itself.

 **Note : The talk of stereotypes in this chapter does not reflect my beliefs on Americans, French, and Canadians. The reason for my use of stereotypes in this chapter is that stereotypes, though rarely true, can provide a depth of internal and external conflict that makes characters and their interactions in my story seem closer to real life.**

* * *

With two Rock-Busters down, Leo is still fighting Granite, Clyde has picked a fight with Graphite with Bugsy's assistance, Dillinger is fighting Marble with the help of Luciano (the latter coming to Dillinger's aide after noticing his multiple injuries), Bonnie is fighting with Sandy Stone, Gabby is battling Limestone, and Nelson is fighting Sedimentary. Each wolf is focused on defeating their opponents, but everyone's concentration is interrupted by a loud voice that comes from nowhere.

 **Voice:** "Don't any of you's know it's not a rumble without me?!"

Everyone turns and sees Capone running to join the battle. That's all the time they allow themselves to look before focusing back on their fight. Capone had actually arrived no more than 30 seconds ago, but stayed back and analyzed the situation while everyone was too busy fighting to notice him even by scent. That 30 seconds gave Capone the time he needed to come up with a plan that would end the fight with minimal bloodshed, for the Bone-Chompers that is. In order for Capone's plan to work, though, he will need Nelson's help. Nelson is currently pummeling Sedimentary, the latter having been backed into a tree trunk as Nelson tells the unfortunate Rock-Buster, "Who's the washout now?! Who's the washout now?! Who's the washout now, huh?!" while scratching Sedi repeatedly.

But in order for Capone to get Nelson's help, he will need Gabby to attack Sedi, and she is busy with Limestone. Therefore, as Capone enters the battle zone, he goes next to Emmy who is currently trying to find someone to fight.

 **Emmy:** "Took ya long 'nuff."

 **Capone:** "Follow me."

Since it is odd for a narcissist like Capone to not follow up with something along the lines of "Sorry to be tardy to the party," as Emmy expected, she realizes he means serious business. Which means she should do exactly what he says without question.

The two go next to Gabby who is busy fending off Limestone. Although Gabby is only 75 percent combat effective with one injured limb, that has actually been working out in her favor because Limestone focuses her attacks on that one area like an amateur. That makes her more predictable for Gabby who can properly defend and counterattack with ease, even though she has suffered a scratched face and a bite mark to her left foreleg shoulder.

 **Capone:** "Take over for ya's daughter."

Emmy nods and runs in between Gabby and Limestone once there's an opening.

 **Gabby:** "What're ya doin', mom? I was just startin' ta have fun!"

 **Emmy** (keeps her eyes locked on Limestone but raises her voice to speak to Gabby) **:** "Go with Capone, Gabby!" Predicting further resistance from her hot-headed daughter, Emmy adds, "No buts!"

Remembering that Emmy is her pack godmother first, and mother second, Gabby obeys, but not without feeling a little disappointed. When she faces Capone, he says, "Come over here." He leads her to where Nelson is still wailing on Sedi, Capone and Gabby stop halfway to avoid Leo launching himself at Granite, then continue once the path ahead of them is clear. When they arrive, Capone puts a forepaw in front of Gabby to prevent her from walking up to Nelson, which is something she finds herself thankful for. Knowing Nelson, he would round up to attack her out of reflex the moment she said something close to him.

 **Capone** (projecting his voice to be heard over Nelson's thuggish ranting) **:** "Yo Nelson! Let Gabby take over for ya's, I gotta plan!"

 **Nelson** (while continuing to give Sedimentary his undivided attention) **:** "Can't ya see I'm busy!"

 **Capone** (rolls his eyes) **:** "Oh, for the love of—"

He runs up and shoves Nelson away from Sedi, with Gabby taking over the task of beating her to a pulp before the Rock-Buster can get even a second of relief. Surprised by the sudden action, Nelson winds up his forepaw to hit Capone, but the other wolf grabs it. By the time Nelson thinks of using his other paw, he realizes Capone is the one who pushed him, and doesn't want to risk friendly fire. That still doesn't stop Nelson from saying what's on his mind.

 **Nelson** (angry) **:** "The heck're ya doin'?!"

 **Capone:** "Listen."

Once Capone finishes his explanation, Nelson is more than eager to contribute to the plan, especially since it means he can attack as many wolves as possible now! They get their bearings on the fight scene, see who is fighting who, look at each other to nod, then split up with Capone going left and Nelson going right.

 **Nelson thinking** (in eager anticipation) **:** " _This is gonna be fun._ "

* * *

At another part in the battle ground, Clyde's experiences of brawling with Bonnie is more than enough to eventually win against the son of the Rock-Buster pack's godfather. But with Bugsy fighting alongside his fellow Bone-Chomper, Graphite's defeat is only a matter of time. The two Bone-Chompers interchange between having one of them run up and duping Graphite into taking a swing at him, only for the other Bone-Chomper to connect with the real attack against the exposed Rock-Buster. Then, a yelp from the side makes Clyde turn his head where he sees Sandy Stone yanking Bonnie by the right ear using her teeth, and Bonnie yanking the Rock-Buster's left ear with her forepaws in a way similar to how two human women would fight by pulling each other's long hair. Sandy has the upper hand, whereas Bonnie's grip is already slipping. All the Rock-Buster Pack's godmother needs is one opening and she can kill Bonnie.

Not knowing that Clyde is distracted, Bugsy does a fake-out maneuver and waits for Clyde to do the real attack. Seeing that Clyde isn't even looking at him, Graphite attacks the wolf with a bite to the neck. He doesn't get the chance to cause any more damage because Bugsy grabs him by the tail and yanks hard, amputating off the tip with surgical precision. Bugsy doesn't stray his eyes from his angered adversary even when Clyde runs off to go help his mate, because Clyde can't have anyone in his way to succeed.

Bonnie reels back to scream from the pain of having half of her right ear bitten off, which leaves her exposed to Sandy Stone's follow-up attack that pins her to the ground. She bites Bonnie in both forepaw shoulders to ensure new pain will keep her opponent occupied while the Rock-Buster plans to deliver the coup de grâce. Sandy Stone keeps Bonnie pinned to the ground which arching her head and neck back in order to increase the speed and power of the bite that is aimed at Bonnie's throat. When she is at the highest point of her arch, Clyde collides into her like a missile with his teeth anchoring to Sandy's exposed chest. True to his pack's surname, Clyde's bite cracks through Sandy's ribs and scores deep hits on the vitals within. The internal injuries take their toll immediately, and Sandy Stone finds herself struggling to remain conscious. Her strong will fights against her injuries even when her body demands that she dies, but willpower alone isn't enough. Not to mention that it's hard to remain defiant when all she can focus on is the terrible pain.

Seeing that she is fading fast, Clyde tells Sandy, "If anyone's gonna defeat Bonnie in a wrestling match, it's gonna be me!"

 **Bonnie** (punches Clyde playfully in the shoulder) **:** "I had it und'a control."

 **Clyde:** "Sure you did...Ya damsel in distress."

 **Bonnie** (defensive) **:** "I don't need no savin'!"

 **Clyde:** "I know. But if you're...y'know..."

Bonnie thinks back to two weeks ago, and it clicks in her head just exactly what her mate was truly protecting. That immediately softens her up and she gazes into Clyde's eyes romantically.

 **Bonnie:** "Then in dat case, tanks for helpin' me. My knight in shining armor."

That's the last thing Rock-Buster Sandy Stone hears before everything for her goes black.

Even with Bugsy gnawing on his left hind foot like a chew toy, Graphite has been facing Clyde's direction the whole time and sees the battle between his mother and Clyde end, much to his horror.

 **Graphite** (in a mix of sorrow and anger) **:** "MOOOOOOM!"

That catches Granite's attention and Leo, being an honorable fighter, relents from attacking Granite when the other wolf's back is turned. Granite has no time for denial, and accepts the horrible truth because it's too bad to not be real. He sees his strong, beloved mate lying flat on the ground, while her killer, Clyde, is kissing his own mate, Bonnie, right in front of Sandy's corpse. Granite runs toward the couple to avenge Sandy's death, but then Capone shows up in front of him and bites him on the leg, only to run off, which gives Leo the time to catch up to continue fighting Granite.

On the other end of the battlefield, Dillinger and Luciano have been using the same two-team tactic against Rock-Buster Marble as Bugsy and Clyde had done against Graphite, but a third party intervenes when Nelson shows up behind Marble and bites him on the tail. Marble turns around on instinct, which leaves him exposed for a simultaneous attack from the two Bone-Chompers. Dillinger grips and snaps Marble's right foreleg and Luciano does the same to his left foreleg. This forces him to the ground where Dillinger and Luciano each use their combined strength to roll the heavier adversary over on his back, and exposing his belly that they immediately bite or claw.

Next, Nelson distracts Sedi and Capone distracts Limestone. Sedi is killed by Gabby with a bite to the jugular, but Limestone ignores the distractor and continues fighting Emmy. Capone distracts Graphite next, and Nelson distracts Granite. Both wolves can't ignore the distraction-attack, but neither Rock-Buster gets killed by their attackers' next moves.

It is all part of Capone's ingenious plan. Capone had figured that, since the Bone-Chompers outnumber the Rock-Busters by two wolves even at the latter pack's full strength—which is yet another reason why they should not have tried to attack the Bone-Chompers—he and Nelson can take advantage of everyone's preoccupation with an opponent to do some serious hit-and-running. The plan called for Nelson and Capone to quickly attack one wolf, move away before the sucker could react, attack the next wolf, and so on and so forth. And the plan is going most excellently. They can't inflict any serious harm, but they are successful in distracting the Rock-Buster's which leaves them open for attack by the Bone-Chomper each of them is fighting.

Elsewhere, Granite dodges Leo's bite and has enough time to look and see that his pack is down to three wolves. Then, the most unexpected turn of events happens.

 **Granite:** "STOP! ENOUGH! We forfeit! You guys win!"

The Bone-Chompers stop fighting but keep within attack range of the remaining Rock-Busters in case the latter try anything funny.

 **Graphite:** "What you talkin' bout, dad?! We gotta avenge mom!"

 **Granite:** "SHUT UP, SON! We've lost enough already." (Looking at Leo with pleading eyes) "We surrender. Let us leave and we'll never bother ya's again, ever. You's right, you were always da better pack. We'll spread word'a our defeat and your victory so otha's won't challenge ya's. Just...let us go."

The Bone-Chompers look at Leo as the godfather thinks things over. After five seconds, he comes up with his answer.

 **Leo:** "Bone-Chompers..."

Leo's pack gives him their undivided attention, and the same goes for the Rock-Busters. Granite knows Leo is an honorable wolf who would take into account how Granite and Graphite just lost his mate and mother respectively. Even wolves have hearts, so Leo's conscience will pull through for sure.

 **Leo:** "...Finish 'em off!"

Make that Leo's wolf-conscience and stone-cold wolf heart.

The Bone-Chompers nods and start snarling as they work together to back the three remaining Rock-Buster's into a corner.

 **Granite** (panicking) **:** "Wha—NO! Why?!"

 **Limestone** (ditto) **:** "We've already lost ta ya's!"

 **Graphite:** "I'm too young ta die! Not now!"

 **Leo:** "A greater message will be sent by wipin' ya pack's scum outta existence. If we let ya's live, it'll make our pack's rep drop lower dan it already is. We'll spread the word of you's defeat ourselves!"

 **Limestone:** "We _exaggerated_ about how much you's pack's reputation has been tarnished! It's not really that bad!"

 **Graphite:** "You can let us live and it'll still look good for ya's!"

 **Granite:** "Please, we'll do anything for ya's! ANYTHING!"

 **Leo:** "You can die by our claws, dat's what ya's can do!"

 **Granite:** "I beg of you! HAVE MERCY!"

Leo's only response is to let out a sinister growl—the signal to begin the execution. For the next two minutes, the only thing louder than the sound of wolves doing what wolves do best is the screaming of the Rock-Busters, which doesn't last for more than 10 seconds.

With the battle won, the Bone-Chompers stand proud while the stench of dead wolves permeates the area. It doesn't bother them at all, it's the smell of victory. However, every victory has a cost, and Leo's next question addresses this issue.

 **Leo:** "Okay folks, you know da drill. How many injured and how bad? I'll start off. I gotta bitten neck, which'll bruise but I'm still kickin'."

 **Emmy:** "Just a scratch down my right side."

 **Gabby:** "Scratch ta the face and a bitten left shoulder, but they're just badges of honor instead of injuries."

Dillinger turns so Leo can see the bite mark on his rear, lifts up his right hind leg, then left hind leg to show the trickling blood in his fur, rubs the bite wound his neck, and strokes the bite wound on his muzzle. However, like the butch wolf he is, he ends his "explanation" by brushing the ruffled fur on his right shoulder twice to show that, while noticeable, his wounds don't bother him in the slightest.

 **Leo:** "Heh, showoff."

He looks at Nelson next.

 **Nelson:** "Those losers didn't even touch me.

 **Luciano:** "Me too.

 **Bugsy:** "Me three."

 **Leo:** "I call it luck."

Nelson, Luciano, and Bugsy lower their ears in disappointment, a frown forming on their muzzles.

 **Leo:** "Nah, just kiddin'! You's three're more skilled dan ya's look."

That perks their ears up and puts smiles on their faces.

 **Bonnie:** "Lost some of my ear, but I still got most'a it. I've also got a bitten left and right foreleg shoulder. But dare just scratches."

 **Clyde:** "I got bitten in the tail and neck, but I just keep on tick-tocking like a clock."

 **Capone:** "Not even a scratch."

 **Leo:** "Good, so nothin' too serious. But those'uv ya who knows ya can't hunt as good need ta take things easy till ya heal. And brilliant plan by the way, Capone. Like always. It really helped give us an edge and sped up our inevitable victory."

Each wolf takes the time to walk up to Capone and pat him on the back, with all giving him some form of verbal praise, except for Dillinger who conveys his appreciation through a nod and smirk. The actions of his pack makes Capone proudly think back to where it all began.

* * *

The then-named Mastermind Dagger-Back's talent for devising strategies emerged as early as the age of five, most notably from how he always caught every participant while he was It during hide-and-seek, or always avoided being tagged whenever he wasn't It. He did so in three ways. One, by using every get-together to closely observe his friends and family's preferences and habits, which made him accurately predict where they would most likely hide, and how they would most likely try to evade him. Two, by carefully considering all of the possible angles one could approach the base—the shortcuts or long ways. And three, by observing the terrain of the area the game was held to gain insight on how it would aid or hinder him and his opponents no matter who was It. The older he got, the better at strategizing he became for all games he played—hide-and-seek, tag, races, tracking contests, and wrestling—which drove every participant crazy, and made them forbid him from joining in the games, much to his irk. Thankfully, he had a great family to love and support him.

Moreover, Mastermind had everything a wolf could ever ask for: a loving family with a great reputation, parents and siblings who were smart and skilled at hunting, a lavish dwelling that most predators could only dream of having, a home located where there was an abundance of food and water and isolated from humans, and lots of friends. But that's what made Mastermind feel so empty; he had everything, but never earned any of it himself. His family was like the human equivalent of "old money," folks whose fame and fortune was inherited through years of their ancestors' deeds. He wanted to be like the "new money" folks, the people who took risks and were successful in earning fame and fortune in the present. Already being at the top, he had no goals to set, no challenges to overcome, and no sense of fulfillment in his life. He wanted to have an eye of the tiger, something to work for and overcome hardships to achieve.

The Dagger-Back family name—so called because of the filled-in V-shape on their dorsal side that resembles said weapon—gave Mastermind a prestigious identity; he was already somebody instead of a nobody. But after his coming-of-age hunt, the 15-year-old Mastermind Dagger-Back told his parents of how unaccomplished he felt with his life, along with his intention to leave his family, live as a nobody, and then become his own somebody. His mom and dad said they had been waiting for him to say that for a long time, which surprised Mastermind. But then again, they _were_ his parents, so it only reasons that they would know their son well. In any case, they cautioned him of what kind of life awaited him outside of his family, but otherwise agreed with their son's request.

On his own, Mastermind quickly realized that the words of his parents when they warned him of the difficulties of living outside of his family were quite accurate, even though neither had any personal experience of that kind of life, and just theorized their claims. He constantly struggled to find food and a place to sleep. Whenever he tried to use his family name to claim ownership of food and dwelling, other predators simply said, "Without your family present with ya, you're nothing!" He could have rejoined his family at any time, but had too much guy-pride to come crawling back to them in defeat. Not to mention he had learned so much on his own and lost too much to cut his losses and quit. So he refused to go back to his easy-life and continued to live a life of earning his things, only now he had to think of a different plan. That's when he realized that the best place to succeed in getting the rush of striving for achievement was near human settlements. Those areas are where most predators rarely ventured and where the risk of him dying or being relocated was highest, but the rewards would be the greatest. That's because success against other animal predators is good enough, but success against humans—creatures who can think, lie, cheat, play dirty, and use weapons—is far greater. Therefore, he seized the opportunity.

There were three rural towns, each with a population ranging from 200 to 300 people, and each separated by three miles that Mastermind made his own game preserve. Unlike most wolves who ate wild animals, Mastermind had a knack for eating pets and livestock. And his gift of making efficient and elaborate plans enabled him to evade angry pet owners and farmers who tried to take him down. Initially, Mastermind believed that he was freeing those animals from slavery, but after some soul-searching he quickly decided to base his actions on the truth. Namely, whenever he saw animals being pampered and spoiled, it reminded him of his own life prior to leaving his family-pack, and all the hardships he faced after leaving them; a type of life that he had an urge to end in order to satisfy his own murderous conscience.

He became such a problem for the towns he killed in that the human residents actually posted a $1,000 bounty on him. That's when he knew he had been doing things right, and he aimed to make the humans raise the bounty, because Mastermind was worth far more than that. After some attacks on human kids, the bounty was raised to $2,000—and several hunters attempted to claim that bounty. However, Mastermind quickly discovered that outsmarting humans was not much different from outsmarting his childhood hide-and-seekers. He used the same steps from playing that game to mislead the humans that came after him. He even killed seven animal control officers and twice as many hunters by leading them off cliffs, into poisonous snake territory, or making the hot-tempered people trip in a way that made them accidentally shoot each other with their own guns. In other words, Mastermind made each humans' deaths look accidental, without any traces indicating that he was the one who led them to their demise.

His reign of terror forced the towns to issue a curfew once it was clear that no vigilante hunters or animal control officers could prevail against a wolf like himself. Another dissimilarity with wolf society was that Mastermind's name of Capone came from humans instead of wolves. Like a certain American Civil War general who earned his nickname by "standing like a stone wall," Mastermind earned his new name by the townspeople who said, "That wolf's as homicidal and devious as Al Capone." That was one of many things Capone learned from the human world, among which is that humans pride themselves as the dominant species on the planet, and see animals as mere animals. That's why it humored Capone to see the humans in the towns he terrorized fail to stop him, and how they hid with their imaginary tails between their legs from the actions of a "mere animal."

After tiring of causing panic among humans, Capone returned to the wild where stories of his escapades made him a feared and respected legend, and these stories continue to this day. However, the stories are also different from the norm. Usually, whenever stories or legends are told of how fearsome someone is, the story is exaggerated to make the one whom the story is about sound much stronger than he/she actually is. That is the _opposite_ when stories about Capone Dagger-Back (and now Bone-Chomper Capone) are told, because he is far stronger, smarter, and more notorious in reality than any stories about him stipulate. Capone rightfully earned his name when he killed as many animals as Al Capone had killed people—both personally and under the mobster's orders—which attracted the attention of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. The initiation of single-handedly killing a grizzly bear was a breeze for someone as smart as Capone, and he joined the Bone-Chomper Pack after Bonnie and Clyde and before Dillinger. He takes pride in being the smartest wolf in the Bone-Chomper Pack, and if it wasn't for Leo's superior strength and fighting style, Capone would have been the pack's godfather. But he is not complaining, because he went from riches to rags to even greater riches, just as he wanted his life to be.

* * *

Then, Capone's sweet memories are put to an end when the next wolf's comment reminds them all of the bitter reality of the pack's current situation.

 **Leo:** "But our victory doesn't overshadow da fact dat we's carryin' a mark of disgrace because of Track's failed hunt. The Rock-Busters were right about dat much."

Knowing her father's mind almost as well as Emmy, Gabby quickly adds, "Could you believe dose punks sayin' we's unworthy ta be the best wolf pack anymore?"

Dillinger growls and seethes to show his disdain for taunts the Rock-Busters told them before and during the battle. Those who speak mirror his tone in words.

 **Nelson:** "Callin' us soft!"

 **Capone:** "Tellin' us we're a disgrace!"

 **Emmy:** "Thinking they had the _right_ ta succeed us!"

 **Clyde:** "And sayin' we can't even win against prey kids like it's a regular occurrence!"

Although the next words are expected, the wolves that they come from are a surprise.

 **Luciano:** "We're not the ones who're those things— _Track_ is!"

 **Bugsy:** " _He's_ da one who messed up, not us. _He's_ the one who made us lose!"

 **Leo:** "Like I said—"

 **Luciano and Bugsy in unison:** "We know!"

 **Luciano:** "You don't have ta say it, Leo. We didn't wanna believe it 'cuz we love our brother and're impressed with his hold on da group of prey animals, but you's were right all along, and us two were wrong."

 **Bugsy:** "Prey animals' word of our—I mean, Track's—failed hunt _has_ spread. Slowly, but deeply. And our pack's reputation and standing in wolf society _has_ dropped."

 **Luciano:** "Our competition _has_ become bolder and _will_ try ta dethrone us from our position we've rightfully earned."

 **Bugsy:** "We still won't like it if any of you's call Kale the weak link, but my Brohan and I won't argue against ya's either."

As the two spoke, they are clearly angry. But not at Leo, or the predicament their pack is facing, but rather at themselves which they clearly explained why. Leo has been so impressed with the brothers' honest words that he decides not to scold them for interrupting him, and skips to the point.

 **Leo:** "Let's cut da whiny bogus and get back ta more important matters. The Rock-Busters are only the first. Others _will_ come: wolves, bears, foxes, coyotes, cougars...any and all predators who wanna eliminate us. I was wrong about dare bein' some predators that wouldn't be stupid enough ta try to attack us so soon. And even our victory today might have some negative repercussions."

 **Capone:** "Yeah. We may have defeated the Rock-Busters, but that'll make other predators realize dee importance of taking the time ta come up with a real plan ta eliminate us."

 **Bonnie** (nods) **:** "Meaning we's might not be walkin' away from da next fight as unscathed."

 **Emmy:** "Which is especially da case if someone tries to attack us any time from now until we fully heal."

 **Bugsy:** "But we can keep word of our injured a secret...at least for a time."

 **Nelson:** "All da while, we's gotta make sure no one tries ta take over our territory, and dat the prey critters in it don't get no bright ideas."

 **Capone:** "Although da prey critters in our territories haven't rose up ta defy us, those in the place Track is at have been yapping dare heads off about the defeat we've suffered."

 **Luciano:** "Speakin' of Track, Capone, wha'd'ja learn from you's observation?"

 **Capone:** "Ah yes, he's still controlling dem with an iron paw. But somethin' I don't get is why I've been seein' music machines and video game consoles layin' around their home. My first guess was dat Track was usin' 'em ta pass the time, but those devices was in different places than what Emmy reported, and Track's scent wasn't dee only one I sniffed on 'em from afar. Not ta mention it's music and games dat I know Track wouldn't enjoy. He'd enjoy stuff with violence and profanity, not somethin' dat's happy and fun."

Several eyebrows raise, a few look to each other hoping the one he/she is looking at may have a better idea, and Dillinger rubs his chin in thought.

 **Gabby:** "So ya's thinkin' Track's lettin' da prey use dose things too?"

 **Nelson:** "Why would he do that?"

 **Leo:** "Either he wants ta build up dare hopes of him loosening his hold on 'em so dat he can reassert his dominance by takin' their leisure away, or he hasn't been as hard on 'em as he should."

Emmy reads the last page first in her mind and says, "You don't think that da prey have softened _him_ up, do ya?"

 **Clyde:** "If dey have, den we's gotta do more ta Track than banishing him from our pack."

Bugsy and Luciano know what Clyde is talking about, and to avoid that horrifying predicament—one that is worse than death—they speak out in defense of their brother again.

 **Bugsy:** "Our lil' bro would never!"

 **Luciano:** "He may not be a true Bone-Chomper, but he's still a wolf. Bein' mean ta prey is dee only thing he can truly enjoy in life, what with our teasing and putting him down all'a time."

 **Bugsy:** "He wouldn't sacrifice his heritage as a wolf for nothin'...And don't point out the double negative, 'cuz you's know how wolves speak."

 **Emmy:** "Relax boys, we's just guessing. But dat is something for the next observer ta look into. By the way Capone, did ya's find out why Track is only holding the coon-possums hostage instead of the other kids?"

 **Capone:** "Yep. Today, the raccoon kits and skunk-cat hybrid offered ta be Track's hostage so that the coon-possums could spend more time with dare families. But Track refused and said he has ta make sure da smartest of da critters—da raccoon in charge—falls in line with his orders."

 **Nelson:** "Just as I thought."

Dillinger nonchalantly nods as if to say, "Good call."

 **Gabby:** "But what about da turtle?"

 **Capone:** "Ha! Dat wimpy loser? He's afraid of his own shadow and is paranoid about every raid dose critters go on. What kinda leverage would holdin' his nephew hostage be?"

 **Leo:** "Good point. So listen up. We need ta keep da pressure on Track ta be sure he isn't lyin' ta us about him ruling over the prey animals he's forcing ta take care of him. All the while, we gotta maintain a firm hold on our own territory and protect it from other predators who come waltzin' in ta challenge us. But if we send the same uninjured wolves over and over for both tasks, prey might figure out we's got some wolves outta commission, which, knowin' dare yapping mouths, will encourage other predators ta attack us.

"So here's da riddle: how do we keep spyin' on Track, reducing da word of his disgrace among prey, and protect everything we've earned against other predators without us doing most of da work?"

This sends everyone back into deep thought as they mull over this dilemma, and this time it's too important to leave unanswered for a later time. They need a new plan to observe Kale since they still need to change the dates and wolves that they observe him, and now most of them need time to recuperate. The whole pack doesn't want their lives to be constantly challenged by their competition, but no one feels more passionate about that than Gabby. She looks deep into herself, hoping a bit of reminiscence will help her solve the pack's problem.

* * *

Gabby was born with her mother's looks and her father's strength, and like her mother she earned her name from birth before her special wolf-specific talent could be decided. Her name Gabriella—a feminine spin on a famous angel from human religion—stems from how she would be Leo's and Emmy's little angel, but a demon toward everything else. Emmy and Leo agreed to raise her with a balance of lavishness and sternness; they wanted their daughter growing up knowing she is in the best wolf pack in the U.S., but also that she has to contribute to it herself. And contribute she did, in her own way instead of riding the coattails of her parents' reputation. That was something Gabby caught on to even as a pup: she would _not_ become the type of wolf who lives in another's shadow; she would be in the spotlight on her own terms. Nevertheless, she's so proud of being the daughter of the best wolf pack godfather and godmother in the nation that she can't help but gloat about hers and their accomplishments, knowing that those successes will further her reputation when and if she decides to start a pack of her own.

Her special talent? Her uncontainable pride, but it's pride that is built to deceive. She has a habit of bragging in order to give listeners the impression that she's all talk and has nothing concrete to back her words up (or at least to annoy others to the point where they have no choice but to end her and her big fat mouth), only to prove she has the skills and experience that puts not iron but steel behind her boasting. That's her favorite part of every hunt against other predators: when the aggressor turns into the victim, _her_ victim. Oh how she loves the look on her attackers' faces as they change from confidence in doing the right thing, into terrifying regret at being baited into an inescapable trap all along.

Because of that talent, Emmy and Leo see nothing wrong in how they raised their daughter, especially in how they encouraged her to gloat. To most creatures, and especially Kale, Gabby let's all the fame go to her head and doesn't know how to shut up, making her the most annoying wolf in the Bone-Chomper Pack to everyone except Leo and Emmy. It's true that all wolves have a tendency to let their egos show while on the hunt, but Gabby's ego alone would put the conceit of every land, sea, and air predator _on the planet_ to shame. If there were other advanced worlds and races across the stars who sent probes or scout craft to investigate Earth's wildlife, Gabby is the first creature they'd hear from. The only thing that makes Gabby's vainness tolerable is her self-awareness of it. She _is_ a hotshot braggart, and a proud and shameless one at that, but unlike most braggers she is just as good as she says she is, so there's nothing anyone can do to make her clean up her act.

Unlike her parents, though, Gabby has a very short temper and will rant whenever she gets mad...and she gets mad easily. This is due not only in reaction to the snide comments or actions against her and her pack perpetrated by someone she deems below herself, but also the inner sorrow she keeps bottled up all the time. She is undoubtedly proud and thankful of her pack and wouldn't trade anything for it, but _oh_ how she wishes her childhood wasn't spent roaming from one place to another. That made it virtually impossible for her to be with any friends outside of her family and pack. Not having any friends to play with in her downtime kept her from developing social skills that could have made her treat others with respect and kindness...as far as wolf standards go. Even worse, it made her a recluse which is the one thing about herself she isn't proud of. With the exception of her deadliness being compared to a brown recluse spider, she reviles that word more than anything because it's a stain of disgrace of how she has no friends outside of her pack. The real problem is that she isn't a recluse by choice; it was out of her control, a sacrifice of growing up in the nomadic Bone-Chomper Pack. Ever since the Sniff-Tracker parents died, the only other wolves she has encountered have been enemies, so her chances for making friends where she is now are lower than normal.

But in the end, she can't deny that a life without friends was worth it because her personal feats along with the reputation her pack has garnered will ensure that she'll get respect the minute she enters any public place. Respect has always been more important to her than friendship, so she only stands to gain more than lose more from her life as a Bone-Chomper. Currently, the amount of territory and influence the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack is bigger than any single wolf pack in the U.S.A. In other words, their lives are as perfect as predatorily possible.

However, Gabby fears that Track's failed hunt might force the Bone-Chomper's to move again if the teen's debacle causes every predator in the state to come after the Bone-Chompers all at once. She and her pack can handle one large group of the competition without too much trouble, but she's worried that repeated failed attempts will make those who remain set aside present rivalries to unite to bring down the wolves at the top. If the fight becomes too big for even the Bone-Chompers to defeat, then they will have to leave behind the land and prestige each wolf holds dear. Gabby was forced to sacrifice a life of that special happiness that can only come from friends for the happiness of the territory and influence her pack currently has, and she'll be darned if the former was all for nothing.

 **Gabby thinking** (darkly) **:** " _If that happens, I will make Track pay._ Hard _._ "

She won't kill him, she can't kill him, because he's family. But she will be the first to volunteer to banish Track from wolf society, a procedure known (and dreaded) as the "mark of shame." And her father will grant her that permission in a heartbeat.

But she really hopes it doesn't come to that...at least until, heaven forbid, the worst case scenario of the pack's competition banning together comes to pass. It might seem hard to believe—and Gabby is too proud to admit it out loud—but despite everything that's happened to Gabby and her pack since Track's failed hunt, she doesn't hate Kale. He is family after all, and therefore a part of her life, for better and for worse. Furthermore, ever since Track was born into this world she has always seen him as the little brother she never had. Of course, her relationship with him is not a common brother-sister sibling rivalry, but structured more like the love-hate relationship of that crazy goblin-like creature from the famous trilogy of movies about a ring. The two have been fighting and trying to tattle on the other for as long as they have known each other, which is something Kale is just as guilty for as Gabby.

Kale could ignore his godsister's boasting like the rest of his pack, but chooses not to. He lets her get under his skin, and tries to bring her down because he feels she deserves it. He has told Gabby many times that someone as cocky and annoying as her deserves to be punished and deserves to be humiliated. And she has taken it upon herself to prove that someone like Track needs to be taught how to respect his superiors, no matter how annoying they are. That would teach him self-control that would otherwise get him into bigger trouble than the person he's trying to get into trouble. His action of self-sabotaging his own hunt is a clear indicator that he has been wrong and she has been right all along. But sadly, he isn't around to hear her rub it in.

* * *

Even worse, Gabby realizes her reflection has gotten her no closer to solving the pack's dilemma. And no one else seems to have thought of any solution either. At that moment, just when the wolves think of giving up on the topic, Capone proves why he is the smartest among them.

 **Capone:** "I've got it!"

Everyone gives him their utmost attention, ready to not only hear of his plan, but to see if it's good enough to follow through on.

 **Capone:** "How I see it is, prey animals are the reason we's experiencing trouble since dare the ones who've spread word about Track's hunt."

Dillinger lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes. A pet peeve of his is folks who are repetitive. He is fed up with hearing the same thing again, and wants to know of a way to move forward instead of referencing the past. In spite of Capone's intelligence even he gets Dillinger's intentions wrong, proving that even his allies can't figure out what he means from time to time.

 **Capone:** "You got somethin' you wanna say, Dill?!"

Dillinger shakes his head no, and gestures for Capone to continue.

 **Capone:** "Yeah, I thought so." (To everyone) "Like I was sayin', if it's prey animals who got us inta dis mess, den let's have them get us out of it, at least some of it."

 **Nelson:** "What're you sayin'? No more riddles, man."

 **Capone:** "Let's start usin' the prey's own tactic against 'em. We're gonna start some gossiping ourselves. The only thing dat the prey in the territory we failed to gain haven't been talking about is that dare's a wolf livin' among 'em."

Capone pauses to let the others absorb what he's said so that the imaginative gears in their heads can start turning. It happens all at once, and Capone continues once he sees everyone's face brighten up and how they are listening to him intently.

 **Capone:** "How do you think the prey is gonna react once they hear dat a certain group of prey animals is taking care of a wolf ,whom we'll lie that dey agreed to care for willingly? Answer: not very well."

The wolves look at each other in wonder then back at Capone with grins and nods, wanting him to go on.

 **Capone:** "Not only will it ensure Track has not been pretending along with the prey animals he's with when our observers come to see him, but it'll redirect the attention of other predators away from us. At least long enough for us to recuperate from our injuries."

 **Leo:** "I like ya's thinkin', Capone! Howl if any of ya agree."

Everyone howls, but Luciano and Bugsy don't join in immediately, and even then their howls aren't as loud or energetic. Capone notices this and address it when everyone's quiet again.

 **Capone:** "Now, Luciano? Bugsy? Are you's two okay with dis plan? 'Cuz it'll put you's lil' bro in danger of attacks, and one of us might not be around him to step in and save 'im."

The brothers look at each other, using their sibling bond to sense what the other is thinking. They don't want their little brother to be hurt more than he's already been, but they also know that Leo has been right about everything they doubted him for. The two nod turns their heads to address the pack.

 **Luciano:** "How we see it, if Kale's been lyin' ta us all along, he'll desoive whatever beating he'll receive. 'Cuz if so, he'd be betraying our family's beliefs just as much as the Bone-Chomper Pack's."

 **Bugsy:** "And if he hasn't been lyin' ta us, he's gotta learn ta fight his own battles someday. Any successes will improve his standing in wolf society."

 **Leo:** "Okay. We'll decide who'll start spreadin' da rumors, who's gonna go monitor Track, and who'll be patrolling our territory. And whoever's gonna be monitoring Track betta pay attention to the group of prey animals' reaction more so dan his. Got it?"

Dillinger gives a nod while everyone else says, "Yes, Leo."

Once the decisions of who will be doing what have been made, Leo asks, "Well, what're we waiting for?"

The wolves start their tasks with earnest, feeling genuine excitement of how the rumor of prey animals who agreed to take care of a wounded wolf will turn out.

But this is a lie of course. Because the idea that Track would be willingly letting the prey take care of him, and vice versa, is too stupid to be true.

 **All wolves thinking:** " _Right?_ "

Soon, they will find out the truth once and for all.

* * *

 **I was originally going to combine this chapter with the information in the upcoming chapter 7, but decided you readers have waited long enough for an update. So I split the chapters in half.**

 **No thanks are needed, your enjoyment is all that matters to me. ;)**

 **See you next time!**


	7. Conundrums and Connections

**Chapter 7: Conundrums and Connections**

After spending a day of raiding heavy-lifting items, RJ and Verne declared the next day (today) was an off day for relaxation, much to everyone's excitement. Unlike yesterday, though, the animals went off to their separate relaxation spots with some going with family or friends, and others going alone. Kale wanted to play video games, but the porcupine teens were more in the mood to go swimming in the neutral playground zone. Since Kale doesn't want to risk other prey animals seeing him, he can't go too far away from the log. He thinks he's going to be bored because he doesn't have anyone else to play with, but then realizes that he just doesn't have anyone to play like a prey animal.

 **Kale thinking:** " _I'm a wolf. I can have fun like a wolf._ "

It's been too long since he's done any wolf things, but he has a bit of trouble thinking of how he can have some wolf-fun. Howling would only draw unwanted attention. He can't attack anyone even if he's just wanting to wrestle, which his casted legs would prevent anyway. He also doesn't want to upset anyone by using bushes or trees as a punching bag to spar with. He then figures out what he can do, just as a lightning bug appears over his head and flashes. The insect, having heard of the unfortunate fate one of its brethren had when shining its light above a wolf, is out of Kale's reach before the teenager can even lift his paw to swat the bug away.

Kale shrugs and then follows through with the fun activity he can have as a wolf in his circumstances (his injured legs, can't attack, can't howl, etc.). What makes him think of the idea is the knowledge that he will have to return to his pack, rather than having the opportunity to do something he normally doesn't have the privilege of doing now that he's away from them. He knows the scent of each hedgie and will stealthily follow the scents to observe them as they're having free time. The anticipation actually makes him feel giddy. He hasn't practiced his sneaking skills in ages, and he can't wait to see what his caretakers do when they think they're all alone. He isn't doing this to be weird and creepy, and won't go near anyone that is doing something his senses might inform him would be rude to spy on. The reason is that, as a wolf, he can gain more insight on what prey animals do in their free time. It might also inform him a bit more about their personalities better than questions to them can do.

Since RJ is the leader, Kale follows his scent first about 15 minutes after the hedgies departed in the bright morning light. As he moves on the off-road skateboard he mentally notes that he'll have to take into account how hard it will be to make sharp turns, and he needs to keep an eye out for sticks and crunchy leaves that will make loud noises if he goes over them. Just as Kale finds himself wishing he had all four legs that could avoid those obstacles, his sensitive hearing picks up RJ's voice from not too far away. It's a mumble, but Kale's wolf senses let him hear it as if the was a few feet away from the raccoon.

 **RJ's voice:** "Time for the heavy artillery."

Kale raises an eyebrow as his mind tries to piece together what RJ could mean by that, which makes him more eager to find the raccoon. Soon, though, Kale sighs in disappointment when he sees various twigs and dried leaves in front of the only viable path that can take him to RJ. Knowing any progression would alert RJ of someone approaching, Kale is just about to back himself up. But fate seems to be working in the wolf's favor because he hears RJ say, "Do your thing Andrew W.K.'s 'Ready to Die,' " which is soon followed by the opening notes of a song.

It's the sound of a single guitar strumming some brief, perky notes. The same notes repeat the same tune once more, then the rest of the instruments in the rock band join in, repeating the same lighthearted and energetic beat at a louder volume. With the sound of his movement drowned out by the blasting volume, Kale goes forward as fast as he can. Given the playful beat, Kale thinks it'll be a happy-go-lucky, feel-good rock song like something Hammy would normally listen to. The wolf could care less about that genre of rock n' roll, but his expectations are shattered when the singing begins.

 **Note:** **"Ready to Die" is a song copyright by Andrew W.K. and his album** _ **I Get Wet**_ **. Feel free to open up the song in a new tab and jam along!**

 _This is your time to pay,_

 **Kale thinking:** " _Huh?_ "

 _This is your judgment day,_

 **Kale thinking:** " _Wha—?_ "

 _We made a sacrifice,  
And now we get to take your life._

 **Kale thinking** (in pleasure) **:** " _Ohhh._ "

 _We shoot without a gun,  
We'll take on anyone,_

 **Kale thinking** (in excitement) **:** " _Yeah!_ "

 _It's really nothing new,  
It's just a thing we like to do._

By now Kale can see the raccoon and is shocked to see RJ—the smart, devoted, optimistic, cheerful, humorous, and the profound co-leader and family man—listening and dancing to punk rock! As the main chorus is spoken, RJ points his finger at an imaginary audience (in the direction opposite of Kale) and is holding his golf club like a guitar that he pretends to play at the end of each verse.

 _You better get ready to die  
(Get ready to die!)  
You better get ready to kill  
(Get ready to kill!)  
You better get ready to run,  
_ _'Cause here we co-o-o-o-o-ome._

RJ bends his knees and slowly drops to the ground in unison with the slow and drawn-out word "come." After that, he does his previous gestures to the imaginary audience while on his knees.

 _You better get ready to die  
(Get ready to die!)_

In the brief musical gap between the verse that just ends and the musical interlude, slumps his head down and stares at the ground like someone who just achieved a tiring victory, with his right paw raised up giving a devil horns hand sign. As the interlude section begins, RJ hoists himself back his feet using his golf club and starts twisting and turning his body this way and that to the beat.

Kale is digging the song as well, and has been nodding his head and tapping his right forepaw. It's like whoever made it had wolves in mind, because this is the same kind of dark and threatening tone wolves like to impose on prey whenever on the hunt or going in for the kill.

RJ goes back to lip singing and guitar mimicking when the song resumes.

 _Your life is over now,  
Your life is running out,  
When your time is at an end,  
Then it's time to kill again,_

 _We cut without a knife,_

RJ mimics a knife slash with his left paw.

 _We live in black and white,_

RJ points to his mask at the word "black," and to his chest at the word "white"

 _You're just a parasite,  
Now close your eyes and say good-night._

RJ points to his eyes that he closes and bobs his head twice in unison with the words "good-night." When the main chorus starts again he goes back to addressing the imaginary audience and strumming his golf club like a guitar.

 _You better get ready to die  
(Get ready to die!)  
You better get ready to kill  
(Get ready to kill!)  
You better get ready to run,  
'Cause here we co-o-o-o-o-ome._

This time RJ sways himself side to side at the word "come."

 _You better get ready to die!  
(Get ready to die!)_

For the next stanza, RJ holds his golf club so that the tip of the black grip is near his mouth like a microphone. He lip sings the main verse then turns his body so that he is on the left, middle, and right of where he was originally standing as he sings the background lyrics while holding up his left, right, and both closed fists respectively.

 _You better get ready to die!  
(Get ready to die! Get ready to die! Get ready to die)  
You better get ready to die!  
(Get ready to die! Get ready to die! Get ready to die!)  
You better get ready to die!  
(Get ready to die! Get ready to die!)_

For the last stanza, RJ drops his golf club and starts air drumming while nodding his head to the beat.

 _Been a long time coming,  
Now you better get running,  
And you better get ready to die!_

RJ picks up his golf club and does more guitar gestures during the closing music number. When the song ends, he drops his golf club like a rock star would drop the mike. He takes a deep breath through his mouth, lets out a blissful sigh, and then, still thinking he is alone, goes nuts like a nine year old after eating 15 pounds of sugar.

 **RJ** (deep, bellowing voice like a hard rock singer) **:** "YEEEEEAAAAAH! YO-O-O-O! WHAAAAAT! OKAAAAAY!"

RJ jumps and fist pumps with each word. To top it off after saying "okay", he crosses his arms while making a Peace hand sign with his left paw and a shaka hand sign with his right paw while saying in a _kewl_ voice, "Peacccccccccccce…"

To add some more razzle and dazzle to his pose, he waggles his upturned tail and lets it hang lopsidedly to his right. All that's missing is some sunglasses, a sideways hat, and some low riding pants.

RJ breathes heavily as all the dancing and yelling catches up to him, making him sweat. He walks over to his bag and gets out an eight ounce water bottle that he starts drinking. He downs half of it, puts his bag flat on the ground, and then lays his head down on it to relax.

Kale is still trying to wrap his head around what he has seen. Who'd have thought RJ has a heart for punk rock? But then again Kale recalls that every creature, no matter how old they get, has an inner child that they like to let out every now and then. He just happened to stumble upon RJ doing that, and will remember this.

 **Kale thinking** (in his kid-conscience) **:** " _Maybe I can use it ta play a prank on 'im one day._ " Immediately after that thought is finished, his wolf-conscience suggests, " _No, use it ta embarrass him, just like he and his 'family' have embarrassed you's._ "

As before, the wolf-conscience is a fleeting whisper, and Kale decides to think for himself. Kale figures that he has seen the highlight of RJ's free time, so he slowly starts moving away, but not without feeling amazing on the inside upon recalling the music. That song was like nothing the wolf has ever heard before. Pun intended, it hit all the right notes for him and touched his heart with how joyfully twisted it is. It is the happiest, most light-hearted murder song of all time, and he knows for a fact that human serial killers and terrorists use it to get pumped up for a day of chaos, because as a wolf he _is_ a serial killer and terrorist. Although he hasn't heard many other songs, "Ready to Die" by Andrew W.K. is now Kale's favorite song of all time. He makes a mental note to recommend his pack give it a listen because he knows they'll like it. Heck, the kid part of him will think the pack can use it as their "fight song." True, it would give away the pack's position and alert prey of their approach, but they would feel so awesome and the song would build them up so grandly that it wouldn't matter to them.

Kale lets out his own inner child by daydreaming. He can see it now: prey in the Bone-Chompers' territory will be going about their mundane lives when all of a sudden the song starts playing, causing them to turn their heads in confusion. When the lyrics kick in, the prey would start getting nervous and try to make it to shelter. At that moment, his pack would come out and attack just as the main chorus starts. The second stanza after the music interlude would be perfect for when he and his pack give a slow and torturous death to incapacitated or captured animals. Wolves reserve that kind of punishment for animals that have been a thorn in their sides, or whenever they just feel like playing with their food to free their inner psychopath. Not to mention that his pack is so deadly that they _can_ shoot without a gun and cut without a knife.

Kale feels just as excited when he refocuses on finding the next hedgie on which to spy as he does about trying to make his recent song fantasy come true. If RJ's free time was that enjoyable for Kale, the wolf can't wait to see what the other animals do for fun.

* * *

Kale concentrates his senses, opening up his predator-spirit as he works to pinpoint the next hedgie. His exceptional sense of smell can target scents with an accuracy of the hundredth of a decimal, meaning he can practically tell what animals are doing by smell alone. Sometimes he can even pick up emotions if he focuses hard enough because pheromones are given off whenever creatures feel anger, sadness, happiness, fear, and pleasure. Kale has to consciously fine-tune his nose so it can ignore anything that's too far away. When he does that he has to do some more refining to locate individuals. He picks up the scent of happiness and pleasure (separately and combined) among almost all of the hedgies, but doesn't try to tell what they are doing since he wants his eyes to handle that part. Just when Kale is about to choose which happy and pleasurable scent to follow, he detects all the aforementioned emotions—minus fear—from one in particular: RJ's little sister, Rebecca. Wanting to know what she could be doing to be emitting the scent of anger, sadness, happiness, and pleasure, Kale follows her trail as quickly and quietly as he can.

As Kale gets closer he decides to cheat a little and adjusts his sense of smell so that he can theorize but not confirm what she might be doing. After all, he doesn't want to risk getting seen if she is in a bad mood and wants to vent out her anger on him for spying. He smells a hint of raccoon sweat from exertion, and detects that she is moving rapidly from one place to another. Her scent is also brushing alongside the local flora and is changing elevation. That's all Kale allows himself to sense because he now must devote all his attention to the bush that is in front of him. Rebecca's scent places her roughly 10 yards ahead of it, and the shrub will provide the perfect hiding spot for Kale. The problem is that he can't enter it while on the off-road skateboard because it simply won't fit, and going inside will make too much noise. That leaves the wolf with only one option: turn himself so that he is perpendicular to the bush and can look out from behind the side.

Kale backs up then uses his forelegs to turn himself so that his right side is bordering the bush. He does so as slowly as he can and with the least amount of exertion, making sure he doesn't make any noise or deep inhales and exhales. He pulls himself forward and leans his head out from behind the bush carefully, ready to pull himself back into cover in case Rebecca is facing him. She is not, so he takes time to observe the surrounding area she is in. Her back is to him and she is standing in the middle of a large grass patch that is 40x40 feet. Trees of various sizes sparsely dot the middle grass patch and tall trees boarder the left, right, and far front of the grass patch, making the area the shape of an upside down U with the grass patch in the middle and large trees wrapping around it.

Rebecca stands in an Á la quatrième devant ballet pose. She takes in and lets out a deep breath then starts running toward a short, firm but flexible tree. She jumps forward, wraps her forepaws around the trunk, and spins her whole body perpendicular from it. If that isn't enough, she starts scaling upward while spinning in a gravity-defying manner. Kale can't believe what his eyes are seeing. The strength needed to accomplish that kind of feat is mindboggling! Rebecca is truly more than meets the eye. Kale has previously noted that Rebecca is the slimmest raccoon in the forest family, but the skin underneath her thick fur must be full of lithe muscles!

She stops spinning when she reaches the top, wraps her legs around the trunk and hangs down, then loosens her legs' hold and drops. Kale gasps through his nose when the raccoon stops herself inches from the ground by tightening her legs' grip around the trunk again. She rolls forward and gets to her feet in one slick motion.

Next, she goes to a makeshift gymnastics bar with two large Y-shaped sticks anchored into the ground and another stick laying horizontally across those trees' tops and held down by two rocks. She swings herself forward, looping around it, and let's go to make herself fly up half of a tree's height. When she reaches the top, which is covered in vines made of stems and wood, she jump forward and grabs a vine like a circus acrobat would on a trapeze bar. She loops her body backwards on the trapeze bar-like vine, then stops her body in midair while holding herself still with her legs facing the sky and her head facing the ground. She lets go and catches herself with the back of her knees that now grip the trapeze bar-like vine. She swings on the trapeze bar vine for a bit and flips her body so that her forepaws are holding the trapeze bar. A few more flips and she launches forward, then grabs onto the tree in front of her with all four paws.

She then descends backwards: letting her forepaws go, arching herself back, holding onto the tree trunk with her hind paws, catching herself with her forepaws, letting her hind paws go, dropping down backwards until her hind paws grip onto the trunk, only to repeat the procedure down the tree trunk's 60 foot length—the whole process resembling her doing a back handspring vertically down the tree.

Kale looks on is awe, more mesmerized by Rebecca's performance than what he had seen RJ doing. The two parts of his conscience work in his mind again. The wolf part makes him mentally note how Rebecca's skills and abilities will make her hard for any predator to subdue, whereas the kid part is fighting not to "Ooo" and "Ah," at such a majestic performance. He never thought any creature was capable of acrobatics such as the ones he is witnessing, but Rebecca's moves prove that it is possible. Kale's nose can sense the emotional changes her scent is giving off. She is using her anger and sadness to do something that is making her feel happier. What Kale doesn't know is the cause of all of this, which is something only Rebecca has been pondering ever since she started her gymnastics session.

* * *

Starting the day after Kale played a video game for the first time and continuing for two weeks, Rebecca has been going through the things every teenage animal does. Her seventeenth birthday came with her first heat cycle, the increase of estrogens that developed her mammary glands, hormonal and emotional imbalance, and most of all a broken heart. Her parents and brother taught her how to successfully cope with all but the last of those changes, which is why she is doing some of the most vigorous gymnastics moves she has ever done to let off the steam caused by an image she will never forget.

Four days ago, Garrett, the 18-year-old raccoon she has had a crush on shortly after moving to the woods behind the Elysian Fields Estates, had been bummed out when his girlfriend, a raccoon named Lizzy, had broken up with him. Having the kind heart of her parents and brother, Rebecca spent a full day hanging out with him and doing several activities together to help cheer him up. They danced to music, played video games, pranked humans, swam in an unguarded pool, had a tennis match, played board games, and watched a movie under the starlit night sky. She did not do this to make him fall in love with her, because to take advantage of his vulnerability would have been unbelievably selfish and manipulative, and she is not that type of person. However, the time they spent together did make Rebecca realize that she was in love with him. They had been friends for some time as she quickly gravitated to someone who was smart, witty, handsome, kind, and strong, but she wanted their relationship to become something more. She didn't want to go another day without seeing his smile, hearing his voice, and being by his side.

She told her parents about this and they agreed that she should try to take their relationship to the next level. Two days later, Rebecca finally found the courage to tell Garrett about her true feelings for him. She was on her way to his dwelling, planning to tell him how much she loved him and to ask him out on a date that would cumulate into a bountiful dinner her family had set up just for the two of them, when she saw Garrett and Lizzy flirting. It wasn't any average flirting either; they were kissing, nuzzling, and hugging like there was no tomorrow with their paws all over each other.

In the present, Rebecca's mind plays back the conversation she had with Garrett after he noticed her standing before him and Lizzy.

 **Garrett:** "Oh, Becca! You remember Lizzy, right? My ex-girlfriend? Well, you're not gonna believe this! The most wonderful thing happened! This morning, Lizzy came to see me to apologize!"

 **Lizzy:** "I told him that I was wrong to think he would ever love another raccoon besides me, which is why I broke up with him in the first place, and I said how being separated from him made me realize how much I truly loved him!"

 **Garrett:** "She promised to never jump to conclusions again, and now we're back together!"

 **Lizzy:** "More than that! Garrett asked me to be his mate! We're engaged!"

That news alone made Rebecca's heart shatter into a million pieces, but what came next made her feel even worse.

 **Garrett:** "And it's all thanks to you! If you hadn't gotten me in a better mood, I would've turned Lizzy away without hearing anything she had to say!"

 **Lizzy:** "The wedding is next month and you're the first one of our friends who's invited!"

 **Garrett:** "Oh, I can only guess you've come by to see me for a reason. So is there anything you wanted to tell me? It'll have to be quick, though. Lizzy and I have the whole day planned out to spend time together."

 **Rebecca** (faking innocence) **:** "Oh...Never mind...It's not important."

 **Garrett:** "Well, if you say so."

 **Lizzy** (pulling on her fiancé's arm and speaking in an inviting tone) **:** "Garrett..." (Raises her eyebrows twice and smiles mischievously)

 **Garrett** (chuckles) **:** "In a moment, Liz." (Looks back at Rebecca and speaks in a concerned voice) "You sure you're doing okay? You don't look like yourself."

 **Rebecca thinking:** " **Now** _he notices my feelings..._ " (Out loud) "I'm just tired. I've been really busy lately."

 **Garrett:** "Well, take care."

 **Rebecca** (while turning away) **:** "Yeah...You too. Both of you."

Miraculously, Rebecca didn't shed a single tear in the 10 minute walk from Garrett's place back to her family's log. She was too shocked to feel sad, still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. Rebecca couldn't believe it...All of her hard work done with the best intentions, everything she did to make Garrett happy again, all the measures she took, had only worked to backfire right into her face. She would have felt better if Lizzy had done it on purpose, if she hated Rebecca and wanted to intentionally steal Garret away from her. But no, Lizzy and Garrett were completely oblivious to her, which is only worse. When she arrived back home and Stella asked her where Garrett was, Rebecca came apart like a train wreck. It took her one hour for her to finally stop crying, even with everyone in the family around to comfort her all at once. Kale was asleep inside the log at the time and never heard any of it, not that he could offer much advice for her anyway.

Rebecca wouldn't stop raving how her life was a Greek tragedy. First she had been an accidental birth, her parents neglected her until she was 14, her older brother hated her when he first met her, she got poisoned by the Sniffer, inadvertently got her brother crippled, finally felt loved by her parents and older sibling, then suffered rejection all over again from the guy she loved. Her family's words that time will heal all wounds, that she will learn to love again, that there will be someone who _will_ notice her affections for him, and to not give up on herself or others tremendously helped her heartache. They also told her how much she meant to each of them, and made her realize that there is more to life than finding a lover.

They gave her the inspiration to never lose hope. She doesn't know what she would do without her family.

* * *

Today she finally feels like herself again, she just has to literally exercise out the remnants of any negative feelings that are left inside. Life is so much simpler when doing gymnastics. It's the ultimate release of physical and emotional tension. That's why she is doing moves like she has never done before.

When Rebecca reaches the ground at the end of her back handspring-like descent, she runs to build up the necessary speed for doing a misty flip that lands her on top of the short, sturdy, and firm tree. She spins herself perpendicularly around it again while descending. Halfway down, she lets go and flies over to stand on top of the makeshift gymnastic bar. She flips to the ground, landing on her feet, and decides it's time for her to take a break.

Rebecca feels better than she has in a long time, all of the bitter memories now gone from her for good. She walks over to where she laid a washrag, which for a raccoon is a towel, and uses it to wipe off her sweat. Once she has done that, she gets under a tree where there is shade, lays down on the grass, and dozes off.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Like brother like sister._ "

He quietly leaves the area and goes in the direction where he smells Verne's and Velma's scents.

* * *

After seeing RJ and Rebecca—the former starting off on a high note and the latter being even better—Kale is really curious to see what the other co-leader and his mate do in their spare time. His nose detects that whatever the reptiles are doing, they are near a body of water, but like before that's all Kale allows his senses to tell him since he wants to see firsthand what they are doing. His first clue comes when his hearing picks up Verne's and Velma's voices.

 **Verne's voice:** "Oh, Velma...You're so gorgeous."

 **Velma's voice:** "And you're so sharp, Verne...But before we do this, are you sure no one will see us?"

 **Verne's voice:** "This part of the pond is ours. We've marked it, remember? Trust me, we'll be all alone..." (Mischievous) "Just the _two_ of _us_."

The fact that the turtles are so concerned about being alone only makes Kale hunger to know what they're doing more than ever now. He's never heard Verne speak so rascally before either, so that means something is really going down.

 **Velma's voice:** "You wanna start off, or should I?"

 **Verne's voice:** "How about we do it together?"

 **Velma's voice** (giddy) **:** "O—ka—ay."

The two grunt softly and there's a _Plop!_ sound followed by two objects being placed on the ground.

 **Velma's voice:** "It never ceases to amaze me."

 **Verne's voice:** "What does?"

 **Velma's voice:** "How good you look for your age."

 **Verne's voice:** "Heh-heh, you're looking great yourself. It's because we only eat sugary food on occasion, not for every meal like the others do."

 **Velma's voice:** "Ha! You _would_ get all technical right after your sweet talk."

 **Verne's voice:** "I've been working on getting better at that. I mean, you don't know how hard it was for me to stop counting down how many days are left before winter."

 **Velma's voice:** "Verney, Verney...I love you just the way you are in here."

Kale uses his senses to his fullest ability and can tell that Velma is touching Verne's head.

 **Velma's voice:** "And in here..."

Kale does the same thing with his senses and can tell Velma is touching Verne's chest where his heart is.

 **Velma's voice:** "And especially here!"

Verne giggles.

 **Velma's voice:** "Here too!"

 **Verne's voice:** "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! S-sto-o-o-o-o-p! I'm ticklish!"

 **Velma's voice:** "And here!"

 **Verne's voice:** "I mean it! Hah-ha-ha-haaaaaah!"

Velma seems to stop since Verne's laughter slowly subsides. He catches his breath and then speaks.

 **Verne's voice:** "With you as my mate I can find a reason to laugh out loud while still being myself."

 **Velma's voice:** "Why does it have to only be around me? Didn't Plushie say your sister was quite the adventurer? Maybe playing around is in your blood...possibly mine too even though we aren't related. We should really play around some more, y'know."

 **Verne's voice** : "So you wanna play, do ya? Then how about this? Last one in is a rotten egg!"

Velma goes "Oof!", her body falling to the ground. She gets back up while saying "No fair! You placed your shell in front of my feet!"

 **Verne's voice** (while doing a Liam Neeson impression) **:** "You never learned to mind your surroundings."

 **Velma's voice:** "I'll get you for that!"

 **Verne's voice:** "Then come get me!"

There's a splash that is followed by another splash two seconds later.

 **Velma's voice** (in fake anger) **:** "That wasn't very gentlemanly of you, Verney."

 **Verne's voice** (in comedic innocence) **:** "It made you feel alive though, didn't it?"

 **Velma's voice:** "You know what makes _me_ feel alive?"

There's the sound of water being splashed by hand.

 **Verne's voice:** "Oh, so you wanna go there, eh? Then so be it!"

More hand-splashing occurs just as Kale reaches a clearing where he can still stay 70 feet away from the reptiles while he uses his excellent eyesight to get a crystal-clear view of them. They are in a small pond and have their shells laying down on the ground 7 feet away from the water's edge.

Knowing the physical state the turtles are currently in, Kale thinks, " _Ick! The last thing I wanna see are two turtles without dare shells on._ " (Notices that he can only see them from the waist-up) " _At least they's in the water now._ "

And indeed they are, having a splash fight like it's 1999! They giggle and laugh like little children, as they go for the face, go for the eyes, and go for the chest.

 **Velma:** "Give up!"

 **Verne:** "I'll never surrender!"

 **Velma:** "Then I'm gonna get ya!"

 **Verne:** "Oh yeah?"

 **Velma:** "Yeah!"

 **Verne:** "Take this!"

He splashes her in the eyes, causing her to recoil back and try to rub the water out with her hand.

 **Velma:** "Oooo! Like to fight dirty, don't you?! Well, see how you like _this!_ "

Velma submerges, causing Verne to go "Huh?" at the unexpectedness of the move. By the time he figures out what she plans on doing, it's too late. Verne yelps as he falls backwards when Velma had swam point blank up to him underwater grabbed his legs, and pulled.

Velma surfaces and says, "Take _that!_ "

 **Verne:** "Nice move."

 **Velma:** "Do you give up?"

 **Verne:** "You... *pant* You win."

 **Velma:** "Aw, tired out already?"

 **Verne:** "We've been going on lots of heavy lifting raids lately."

 **Velma** (shrugs and nods yes) **:** "True."

 **Verne:** "Mind helping me up?"

Verne stretches his right hand out. The instant Velma's grip tightens on it, he yanks her forward, causing her to fall face-first into the water! When she surfaces, Verne is giggling up a storm and points to her.

 **Verne:** "Fooled you!"

Velma looks at her mate sternly, which causes Verne to stop laughing. She then slowly points to her bow that is so wet that the color dye is dripping down, which makes it look like the top of her head is bleeding purple. Verne becomes petrified now. He knows how much Velma loves her bow, which he has inadvertently ruined. He gulps, expecting her to throw a fit. She surprises him by cracking up in laughter. Verne's sigh of relief quickly turns into a laugh too. They laugh so hard that they hyperventilate. Once they catch their breath, Verne says, "Looks like we've got one more item to add to the list."

 **Velma:** "Silly Verney, I have five spare bows at the log."

 **Verne:** "You always like to be prepared...Just like me."

 **Velma:** "I _do_ expect you to make up for this." (Points to her bow)

 **Verne:** "How so?"

Velma wraps her arms around Verne and pulls him in for a kiss that he lovingly returns. The two slowly break away.

 **Velma** (playfully seductive) **:** " _You_ and going to give _me_ a bath...And I want to be _squeaky clean..._ To the point where my scales will reflect the light."

 **Verne** (grins) **:** "I'll go get the loofah that's stuffed in my shell. I never leave for the pond without it."

Deciding that things are getting too mushy for his taste, and not wanting to see these turtles' weird bath, Kale leaves once Verne re-enters the pond after retrieving the loofah. Kale goes away with an understanding that there really is an adventurer's heart hidden beneath Verne's and Velma's meekness. The wolf finds it puzzling that Verne isn't like this around the others, especially since it would make him as fun to be around as RJ. Perhaps the turtle wants to be a true father figure in the family, someone who is composed and mellow.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Dat's no fun...But at least I now know that everyone in dis zoo-family has a wild side._ "

Satisfied with his conclusion, Kale picks up the scent of the next hedgie and starts tracking it.

* * *

Since there is only one animal in the forest family that gives off a half skunk and half cat scent, Kale easily locates the general direction De'Ausha is in. His nose tells him she is around other skunks and his ears pick up lots of laughter, which means she is playing with some friends of hers...and Kale has a good idea as to who at least one of them could be. With a nose such as his he never forgets a scent, and behind the skunk stench he recognizes scents that make his blood boil. It is the same young male skunk and his parents who sprayed him and his pack during his hunt. At that moment, every fiber of the wolf's being wants to attack them and get revenge. But Kale is still a wolf, and uses his inherited intellect to think things over reasonably.

 **Kale thinking:** " _You don't got ya's hind legs, so you won't be able ta attack or defend ya'self. And don't forget dat the parents are da ones who picked up on ya's scent that day. So if you really wanna work on ya's stealth, keep ya's distance and just listen._ "

It is settled, and Kale is perfectly alright using his imagination to gauge at what De'Ausha and her friends are doing.

 **Ladarius's voice:** "So ya already know how ta play hockey, _eh?_ Heh! Get it? Cause it was invented in Canada?"

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "I sho do. And nice pun!"

 **Young feminine voice:** "You kiddin'? That ain't Der-level humor. You startin' to lose your touch, little brother."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "I wasn't talkin' to you, Markasia."

 **Different young female voice:** "We playin' hockey or not?"

 **Jordan's voice:** "Shaniqua's right. Split up into teams, folks."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Dibs on De'Ausha."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Now wait just a minute, boy. You know it won't be as fun unless I'm playin' against you." (Snarky) "Or are you tryin' to put me on your team 'cause you know I'll beat you?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Not a chance, you feisty girl. But you don't know my sisters. Shan has the strongest arms, Lakeisha's the fastest runner, and Markasia can take a beating and keep on truckin'—despite her fat hips."

 **Markasia's voice:** "I heard that, you tool! Just for that, I'm playin' against you. I'm gonna beat you so hard that—"

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "We ain't doin' contact for this game."

 **Markasia's voice:** "Aw, c'mon mama! Hittin' other players is the point of hockey. What're we supposed to use then? Harsh language?"

 **Ahniyah:** "Not if you want a serious whoopin'."

Kale can just see the mother raising her clinched fist.

 **Markasia's voice** (disappointed) **:** "Yes ma'am."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "As fo you, Ladarius, you betta say you're sorry for insulting Markasia."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Sorry sis."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Mm-hm. Now carry on with selectin' your teams."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "You built up your sisters, Der, but what about you? How are you at hockey?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "I'm just good all around; I got a little bit of each of my sisters' talents in me."

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "You keep lyin' to her face, Der, and she'll never wanna play with you again."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "I ain't lyin'."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "So in that case, you won't mind if I play against ya to see if you're tellin' the truth."

Kale can imagine the loudmouth boy's eyes going wide at that. His face undoubtedly has the look of things going the exact opposite how he planned too.

 **Ladarius's voice** (dumbfounded) **:** "What?"

 **Markasia's voice:** "Wise choice, girl. If you help me beat my little brother, you'll be my new gur-friend."

 **Ladarius's voice** (with the shock of being betrayed) **:** "De'Ausha..." (Voice becomes more enthusiastic with each word) "You betta get ready to lose, gurl! And don't say I didn't warn ya!"

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "You get to be on my team, Der."

 **Lakeisha's voice:** "Since we ain't hittin' anyone, Markasia needs a fast girl like me to be on her team."

 **Jordan's voice:** "Alright then it's settled. Ladarius and Shan versus Markasia, Lakeisha, and De'Ausha. Everyone grab you a stick, and wait for me ta put the foosball down."

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "Hey mama, could you be the announcer? It'll feel more real that way."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Sho thang, child."

Kale is glad for this too since he will be able to visualize the action. He hears the players walk back onto the ground they will use for their makeshift court.

 **Jordan's voice:** "We're playing to five points. Let's have a nice, clean match kids."

He drops the ball on the ground and Ahniyah does her job.

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "And the game begins! Der takes the ball and runs past Lakeisha. He shoots—backwards to Shaniqua who no one is gathering near. Oh, but they notice that now, and De'Ausha moves in to intercept her. Shan passes the ball high over De'Ausha and Lakeisha, but woah! Markasia gets in front of Ladarius and steals the ball back! She's running down the court with Der hot on her heels...De'Ausha gets in his way to clear Markasia a path...Shan is getting closer to Markasia, who passes the ball to Lakeisha. The goal is wide open, Lakeisha shoots, and scores!"

Lakeisha and her team cheer and then get back to their positions on the court as Jordan retrieves the foosball. He puts it back on the ground and the game continues.

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Markasia gets the ball and passes it to De'Ausha, who—Oh!—gets it stolen by Shaniqua. Shan immediately hits the ball and, booya! Scores! She made that goal while halfway down the court, she's got arms of steel, I'm tellin' ya.

"The ref gets the ball, the teams go back to the middle of the court, drops the ball, and Der gets it. He's daring to run forward, straight into the other team who's movin' to intercept him. He hits the ball, it goes down the court, but stops short of the goal. The players are runnin' to get to it...De'Ausha reaches it first...passes it to Markasia who starts running...Shan goes to cover Lakeisha who's makin' her way to Shan's goal. De'Ausha passes it back to Markasia...Der goes for her...She passes it back to De'Ausha...Lakeisha is still not open, so De'Ausha runs forward. She lines up her shot for the goal, shoots, and—what's this?! Der gets in the ball's path, stops the team from scoring, passes the ball to Shan who passes it back to him. Now he passes it to Shan, Shan passes it to him, each one getting closer to the other team's goal. Der has it now, he shoots, and scores! The score is 2 to 1, with Der's team leading."

After a pause as the players get resituated on the court, Ahniyah continues.

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "The ball is back in the middle, De'Ausha takes it, runs forward but Shan takes it from her, only to have it stolen by Lakeisha who starts runnin' down to where Der is bein' the goalie. She shoots...Der stops her from scoring, he passes the ball, but Markasia gets it. She shoots, Der blocks her again, he's raising his stick like a golf club. Oh, what a fine hit! It's going, going, _going_! It stops a few feet from Lakeisha's team's goal. De'Ausha is moving toward it, Shan is catching up to her, De'Ausha reaches the ball, turns to look for a teammate who's open, but, Ooo! Shan steals it from her and scores!

"The game is 3 to 1 now. Two more points and Ladarius and Shaniqua will win. Lakeisha, De'Ausha, and Markasia better do somethin' or they'll lose. The players are back in the middle, the ball is dropped, Markasia gets it and passes to Lakeisha...Lakeisha passes it to De'Ausha, who passes it back to Lakeisha, who passes it back to De'Ausha. Der moves to block Lakeisha, but De'Ausha passes the ball to Markasia. Der and Shan hold their ground, waiting for Markasia to make her next move...She starts running...Shan and Der don't go after her...Markasia passes the ball to Lakeisha...Shan goes to block her...Lakeisha shoots and she—Oh! The ball misses the goal by inches. Der recovers it, but De'Ausha takes it from him and Scores! The score is 3 to 2; looks like De'Ausha and her team ain't done yet.

"Jordan gets the ball back, goes to the middle of the court, and drops it. Shan gets it, but all three players on the other team come after her at once! She passes it to the side where Der gets it, Lakeisha runs after him, he takes aim, raises his stick and—Wow! Lakeisha takes the ball from him before he can hit it! She runs down the court, putting a lotta distance between herself and Der...Shaniqua is being kept at bay by De'Ausha and Markasia...Lakeisha shoots and scores! We have a tie game now, folks. Three to three.

"Jordan gets back in the middle with the ball and lets it go...Ladarius, huh, doesn't even try to go for it and lets De'Ausha have it without a fight. De'Ausha runs forward, Ladarius lets her pass—what could that child be up to?—and runs toward Markasia who is guarding the goal. Back with De'Ausha, she looks to her side...Sees Lakeisha advancing on Shaniqua...But Shaniqua zigs where Lakeisha zags, and goes toward her team's goal. De'Ausha takes the shot but doesn't make it. Shan has the ball now and she hits it hard. It flies past Lakeisha and De'Ausha, goes to Der who just does another quickie on Markasia, he gets the ball and scores!

"As the players get back to the middle and my hubby gets the ball, you can feel the intensity. Der and Shaniqua are one more point away from victory, but will the tide turn for the other three? We're about to find out.

"The ball drops, Markasia gets it and passes it to Lakeisha who is immediately intercepted by Shaniqua. Shaniqua takes the ball, but De'Ausha gets close to her to block her shot to the goal. Shaniqua passes it to Der who is being covered by Markasia. Markasia steals the ball, but Der steal it back...Now Markasia takes it from him...He takes it from her...Lakeisha is coming to join Markasia to put pressure on Der...Der passes it to Shaniqua who is being covered by De'Ausha. De'Ausha steals the ball and starts running in the opposite direction...Shan catches up to her inna jiffy, takes the ball back, and passes it to Der. De'Ausha starts running after the ball...The ball is intercepted by Markasia who turns around and passes it to Lakeisha. Lakeisha runs for a bit, lines up her shot, shoots, but the ball gets intercepted by Shaniqua who stays put. Markasia and Lakeisha get closer...Shan hits the ball that's received by Ladarius. Der looks at the goals where he sees De'Ausha guarding it. It's like she expected this to happen and wants this game to have a showdown between the two of 'em. Ladarius starts runnin' forward...The ball is on his left...Now his right...back to his left...back to his right. De'Ausha's head is following his every move...He shoots...De'Ausha moves left, but, OH! Ladarius had aimed for her right! He scores! The game is over! Ladarius and Shaniqua win! And the crowd goes wild!"

Kale knows Ladarius and Shaniqua are smiling and laughing as they cheer loudly. What he doesn't know that's happening is De'Ausha lowering her head in shame and loss at how she predicted wrong. _She_ is the reason her team lost. Soon though, in spite of the cheering from Der, Shan, and their parents, Kale hears De'Ausha's teammates talk to her.

 **Lakeisha's voice:** "We all underestimated Ladarius. We played as a team, we lost as a team. Don't get down in the dumps."

 **Markasia's voice:** "Yeah. You did an awesome job, gur-friend. A kid your age goin' up against players as good as Shaniqua and Der...That's a winner in my book."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Thanks, girls...'Course you know, I'm dyin' fo a rematch now."

 **Markasia's and Lakeisha's voices in unison:** "Us too."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "What'd I tell y'all? I've got all yo talents in me! And I'm not a liar!"

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "You couldn't have won single-handedly, you know..."

 **Ladarius's voice:** " 'Course not. You my wingman, Shan."

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "You mean you're _my_ wingman."

Kale doesn't notice the two fist bump and hug.

 **Jordan's voice:** "So you kids wanna have another match after you rest?"

 **Markasia's voice:** "I think I'm done for the day...All that playin' made me exhausted. We've been runnin' on our feet instead of usin' ice skates."

 **Lakeisha's voice:** "I pushed myself too hard. I just wanna rest now and postpone our rematch anoth'a day."

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "I agree."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Works for me."

Kale doesn't know that Ladarius gives De'Ausha a sly look in the eyes...A look that makes her understand exactly what he wants to do now.

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "I think Der and me are gonna take a little walk."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Stay in eyesight, kids. Ever since that run-in with the wolves..."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "We understand mama."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Speakin' of wolves, you and Shaniqua beat the others almost as hard as Der and his friends beat that wolf pack that came hea not too long ago."

Kale's ears point as high as they can, and his facial expression gradually turns from shock into a scowl the more he hears.

 **Ladarius's voice:** "You and dad're the ones who gassed 'em real good."

 **Shaniqua's voice:** "But you and your friends chopped that tree down right on toppa them. And they fell for De'Ausha's opossacoon cousin's act like a buncha saps!"

 **Jordan's voice:** "Y'all did more than just defeat 'em, Der. Y'all made our territory past the playground safer from 'em. They can't step foot anywhere near hea without being laughed at. Which is one of the reasons why Ahniyah and I were among the first to spread word of the wolves' loss."

Kale grits his teeth at the nerve of these skunks. They sound so proud, so gloating, that it's like they are intentionally trying to make him come out and try to kill them. But the time he has spent playing video games with the porcupine teens has taught him not to be such a big hothead. So he endures the skunks' words, and makes a vow to come after them first when he rejoins his pack.

 **Ladarius:** "Did anyone ever find out what happened to the wolf who got caught in fox traps?"

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Oh, he's—"

Kale's heart skips a beat when De'Ausha suddenly stops herself, his thoughts of vengeance having been interrupted by something that causes him to feel petrifyingly nervous. If De'Ausha spills the beans, that means he can kill her, but that will also mean many prey animals will come after for him once word spreads of his being taken care of.

 **Markasia's voice:** "You _know_ what happened?"

Kale listens closer than he has in his whole life. De'Ausha's life, as well as his own, now hinge on what she says.

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "He was found by a bear and eaten. Bad way to go considering he couldn't defend himself...But that's Mother Nature for ya."

 **Jordan's voice:** "Fo real. She is a cruel mistress."

 **Ahniyah's voice:** "Well anything that happened to any of those wolves is too good for 'em. The _nerve_ they have thinkin' they can just waltz up anywhere and kill my stepson and his friends..."

Ahniyah doesn't voice it out loud for the sake of her kids, but she wanted to say that the wolf who got caught in the fox traps should have had a slow and drawn out death, as painful as possible.

Just as Kale vows to kill Ahniyah first on his eventual revenge-hunt, he also appreciates that De'Ausha didn't tell Ladarius or his family about how her family is taking care of him. She's surprisingly more loyal to him than he thought. But he is still worried that she may slip up, so he decides to stay and spy on her a little longer.

 **Jordan's voice:** "Anyway, what matters is that no one important to us was hurt that day. So let's get back to havin' some fun. Just remember to remain in eyesight, Der and De'Ausha."

 **De'Ausha's and Ladarius's voices in unison:** "Yes sir."

Kale uses the technique of selective hearing to cancel out any talk or sounds that aren't coming from De'Ausha and Ladarius. He can hear that the two are walking away from Ladarius's family and coming toward his direction. They still won't be able to see him, since Kale is behind a thick tree, but he starts to back away so they can't pick up his scent.

Out of earshot of his parents, and thinking that the two are now alone, Ladarius looks at De'Ausha and says, "You were great at hockey, girl."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "And you were just as good as you said you was, boy."

 **Ladarius's voice** (sober tone) **:** "But lemme ask you somethin' serious."

 **De'Ausha's voice** (ditto) **:** "I'm listenin'..."

 **Ladarius's voice** (with a crooked smile on his face) **:** "Who's ya favorite sports team?"

 **De'Ausha's voice** (giggles) **:** "Oh, you...! Makin' me tense up fo a buncha nothin'."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "First, you're cute when you get all serious. Second, sports teams _are_ serious to me. No joke."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "I know, I was just testin' ya, 'cuz I take sports seriously too. Anyway, my favorite team is the Reggie Town Red Birds."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Me too! Their quarterback is unstoppable."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Their wide receiver has the fingers of Spiderman 'cause he never fumbles and always does the most risky job on the field."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "And their coach has a Midas touch."

 **Note** **: I just made up the Reggie Town Red Birds. They aren't a real sports team.**

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "But sports aside, what's your favorite TV show?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** " _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_. It's old, but it defines the word 'classic.' "

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "No way, that's my favorite too! Who's your favorite character?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Will Smith, of course."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Same hea. He's funny—"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "—Handsome—"

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "—And—"

 **Ladarius's and De'Ausha's voices in unison:** "Smmmmooooooth."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "What about your favorite movie."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** " _2 Guns_ with Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. The TV version, of course, since my parents won't let me watch R-rated movies."

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Me too!"

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Really?! Now isn't that just—Whoa, wait. Prove it. What's the plot about?"

 **Note** **: The following dialogue contains key plot points from the movie _2 Guns._ If you have not seen it yet, consider this a spoiler warning. **

**Ladarius's voice:** "An undercover DEA agent and an undercover Navy SEAL who unwittingly steal money from the CIA, only to be betrayed by their employers and pitted against each other as well as a Mexican crime boss."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "You could've read that description after pressin' the digital cable info button. Who's the DEA agent and who's the Navy SEAL?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Denzel is DEA and Wahlberg is the SEAL."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Where did the movie begin?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "At a breakfast diner that the two burned down so the cops wouldn't be there for donuts when Denzel and Wahlberg robbed the bank the next day. The cops were in their police station across the street instead, and that's where Denzel and Wahlberg went first to put 'em in the slammer so they wouldn't be able to stop or follow them."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Who wore the Frankenstein mask and who wore the clown mask at the bank robbery?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Wahlberg was the clown and Denzel was Frankenstein, but they referred to him as 'Frankie.' "

De'Ausha didn't think Ladarius would know that much, so she's ready for the _real_ test of knowledge now.

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Okay no more foolin' around. How much money did they steal?

 **Ladarius's voice** (in a Bill Paxton impression) **:** "$43.125 million."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Who made the deal with the Navy to steal back the money that Denzel and Wahlberg had stolen, and keep half for 'em'self?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Denzel's lady friend in the DEA made the deal with Wahlberg's commanding officer in the Navy. That's why she was okay with the Mexican crime boss shooting her for her betrayal against Denzel."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "And where was the money they stole from the CIA hidden?"

 **Ladarius's voice:** "In the motel room Denzel and his lady friend used for their downtime."

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Aha! It wasn't in the motel room, it was _under the bed_ of the motel room."

Ladarius widens his eyes at failing to pass his crush's interrogation. He prepares to face the music from her.

 **De'Ausha's voice:** "Meh, but that's close enough. I just wanted to see ya look nervous. You're so cute when you look nervous." (Wink)

 **Ladarius's voice:** "Gurl, yo are somethin' else!"

The two give each other a double fist bump then waggle their fingers. Although it's a paradox, De'Ausha feels that she and Ladarius become closer the more they compete against each other, rather than being on the same side. No matter who wins or how many times the other loses, it irritates them enough to where they want to keep coming back to see each other. The two learn about each other's personalities and talents when pitting those skills against their crush; a baptism of fire if you will. They reveal who they really are and how interesting they can really be to the other.

As the two continue talking about petty interests, Kale is confident that De'Ausha won't talk about him, so he heads out to find the next family member to spy on during his or her free time.

* * *

Kale picks up the second most unique scent among this group of animals, the opossacoon, and follows it to within wolf-sight distance of a section of the forest that has two trees standing parallel to one another and grass arranged in a circle around the trees. The hybrid's scent comes from above, so Kale looks up and sees Bernard. The kit is 12 feet up a 20 foot tall tree, gripping on so tight that the knuckles on his black raccoon paws are light gray. He is also giving off the scent of fear—a lot of it.

 **Bernard:** "C'mon...Don't stop now." (Climbs a little higher) "Daddy wouldn't stop." (Climbs a little higher) "Mommy wouldn't stop." (Climbs a little higher) "Uncle Rick and Aunt Luby wouldn't stop..." (Climbs a little higher) "Neither would Roger and Ty..." (Climbs a little higher) "Grandpa Rogan and Grandma Sarah said they could climb 100 foot tall trees when they were five." (Climbs a little higher) "And Aunt Becca would've been at the top in seconds."

By now he reaches a tree branch that starts out wide, but gets thinner the farther from the tree it expands until it's as slim as the size of Bernard's foot.

 **Kale thinking:** " _He's not thinkin' of...? Is he?_ "

Bernard looks down, lets out a whimper, and collapses to his knees as his stomach sinks and his legs turn into jelly. The roots of his acrophobia go back to when he was one-and-a-half-years-old, to the time he climbed up a tall tree while playing hide n' seek. When he tried to climb back down, he lost his grip and fell. The only thing that burned into his mind other than the pain was how high he was as he fell to the ground. His father helped him physically recover, but he has been afraid of heights ever since. Because he is part raccoon and part possum—which are two animals that are excellent climbers—he knows he just _has_ to overcome his acrophobia.

With that motivation igniting a fire in his belly, Bernard slowly gets back up.

 **Bernard** (in bold defiance) **:** "I'm not afraid...I'm _not_ afraid!"

The kit starts walking on the branch, one foot in front of the other. He glances down every two steps, making sure he faces his fear for the whole journey across.

 **Bernard:** "You've gotta be brave. Don't play possum. You've gotta be brave. I can do this. I can do this."

Kale actually feels proud of Bernard, since the kit is trying to improve himself, just like the wolf did in the past. Bernard is halfway across the branch when, for some reason, as he looks down, he starts to feel queasy. Flashes of himself falling start to manifest themselves in his mind like post-traumatic stress disorder, making him sweat and pant. He loses concentration, and then slips!

Quickly, he wraps his forepaws around the branch, stopping himself from falling. He wraps his legs around the branch too, but finds that he is unable to pull himself up. He has a solid grip and won't fall, but he can't move, and he _really_ wants to get down.

Accepting that his fear has beaten him yet again, Bernard does the only thing left to do.

 **Bernard** (screaming as if it's the end of the world) **:** " _ **MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!**_ "

Bernard is so loud that Kale winces his eyes shut and covers his ears while trees shake and lose some leaves as if a stick of dynamite went off. By the time Kale opens his eyes and puts his forepaws down, Heather is already on the branch.

Kale stares wide-eyed while he muses, " _Hold on. What the—?_ "

 **Heather:** "Climb on my back, son."

 **Kale thinking:** " _Where did she—?_ "

The feel of his mother's arm gives Bernard a strength boost that makes him brave enough to reach out and pull himself just as Heather takes him over to her shoulder and to her back.

 **Kale thinking:** " _How did she get here so fast?!_ "

 **Bernard** (while crying) **:** "Th-th-th-thank you, mommy..." (Sobs briefly) "Can I go in your pouch?"

 **Heather:** "Wait for me to take you to the thicker part of the branch first. Okay sweetie?"

 **Bernard:** "*Sniff, sniff* Okay."

As soon as Heather arrives at the part where the branch meets the trunk of the tree, Bernard doesn't even wait for Heather to tell him that it's time for him to move into her pouch. She isn't surprised at all, and immediately starts stroking the outside of the spot where Bernard is in her pouch.

 **Bernard's voice** (muffled) **:** "I-I-I was s-so scared...I almost fell!"

 **Heather:** "There, there. It's alright now."

Kale rolls his eyes and mentally insults the weakling kit by thinking, " _Big baby mama's boy..._ "

After stroking her son some more, Heather says, "It's a good thing I always stay close by whenever you try to overcome your fear of heights, isn't it?"

 **Bernard's voice** (muffled) **:** "Uh-huh."

Seeing as Bernard's voice is still on-edge and shaken, Heather decides to change the subject, hoping to put him in a better mood.

 **Heather:** "But you made it halfway across the branch this time! That's much better than your last attempt. You made me so proud!"

 **Bernard** (sticks his head outside of Heather's pouch, wipes the tears from his eyes, and looks up at her) **:** "Really?"

 **Heather:** "Really, really."

Bernard smiles, crawls out of Heather's pouch, climbs up to her chest, wraps his arms around her, and kisses her cheek.

 **Bernard:** "I love you, mommy..."

 **Heather** (kisses Bernard on the cheek) **:** "I love you too, Bernard."

Kale shakes his head side to side in disgust while groaning softly. He expected Heather to scold her son for chickening out halfway, which is something wolves would do to their kids if they didn't succeed at similar tasks. Not to mention wolves would accompany that with some physical abuse.

 **Kale thinking:** " _But den again, my mom n' dad would've done what Heather did. It's my pack dat would've chastised and hit me._ "

Kale feels a hint of sadness creep into his heart at the thought of his parents...

He really misses them; their voices, their faces, their scent, the feel of their fur against his own. Above all else, he misses their love. Unlike his brothers, Kale actually liked that Sniff-Tracker Eddie and Sharnese weren't as obsessed with maintaining the codes of wolf society as most packs were. As he had told RJ, they gave Kale love and didn't mind that his abilities were below average. Because of that, it's no wonder that his dad was named after Al Capone's lawyer, Easy-Eddie, who kept the mobster safe from the law only to testify against "Scarface" when Easy-Eddie wished to cleanse his soul for the sake of giving his son, Butch O'Hare, a good name and a good example of how to live one's life properly.

But when Heather speaks again, Kale tells himself, " _Enough mopin' about da past, focus on the present,_ " and listens closely.

 **Heather:** "Are you done trying to overcome your acrophobia, or do you wanna try again."

 **Bernard:** "I am so done for today."

 **Heather:** "Then let's get back on the ground, shall we?"

 **Bernard:** "Yeah."

 **Heather:** "Yes, _ma'am._ "

 **Bernard:** "Oh, um, yes ma'am."

Heather nods in appreciation of her son's correction, waits for him to re-enter her pouch, and then makes her way down to the ground. Once there, Bernard climbs out of Heather's pouch and looks up at her when she speaks.

 **Heather:** "I'm going to go workout, now. So you know to stay near the log."

 **Bernard:** "Yes ma'am...Oh, but can I take the cell phone from your pouch? I need it to...well, y'know."

 **Kale thinking:** " _Huh?_ "

Understanding what her son means, Heather doesn't hesitate.

 **Heather:** "Of course."

She reaches into her pouch and gives her son a cell phone.

 **Kale thinking:** " _How deep is dat pouch of hers, I wonder?_ "

 **Heather:** "Okay Bernard, bye for now."

 **Bernard:** "Bye, mommy!"

Only now does Kale realize that he has been so focused on those two's conversation that Heather might see him if she walks in his direction. Fortunately she doesn't, and his cover remains. And it's a good thing too, because Kale really wants to know what a six-year-old opossacoon will do all alone with a cell phone. The fact that Heather had an idea of what that is only makes the wolf more curious. Fortunately for Kale, Bernard seems to have a habit of speaking his thoughts aloud whenever the kit thinks he's alone.

 **Bernard** (while typing on the phone's screen) **:** "Okay, Google Image: black bear."

Bernard's finger hovers over the "Search", but he hesitates. He closes his eyes and murmurs to himself, "Don't play possum...Don't play possum...I'm not afraid."

Kale raises an eyebrow at the paradox. Playing dead is often the best way to make a bear stop attacking you, yet Bernard, a possum hybrid, is trying not to do that. The irony is baffling.

Bernard takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, and presses "Search." Seconds later, he yelps, clutches his right paw over his heart, and falls to the ground. Kale chuckles out of his nose at how pathetic the son of the daring and adventurous RJ really is. The kit is nothing like his father. And even his mother, a full opossum, has greater courage than him. If Kale can learn anything of worth from his observation, it's the common sense knowledge that playing possum can have the opposite of its intended effect. Kale still thinks all possums are idiots because, despite eons of playing dead, they still haven't figured out that doing that doesn't protect them from scavengers (and intelligent predators) that look upon a supposedly dead animal carcass as if it's a restaurant with a glowing sign outside that reads "Good Eats" **(1)**.

 **Note : (1)=last sentence based off **_**Resident Evil Volume V: Nemesis**_ **by S.D. Perry.**

As if Bernard can hear the wolf's mocking thoughts, the opossacoon gets back up in a huff and speaks to himself again.

 **Bernard:** "C'mon, you can do better than that. It's just a picture of a black bear, it's not real."

He covers his eyes with his left paw, picks the phone back up with his right paw, moves it as close to his face as he can, and then moves his left paw out of the way. He gasps, but doesn't faint this time.

 **Bernard:** "Better...But I already knew what to expect this time, so let's look at a," (Gulp) "grizzly bear."

Bernard types the words, hits "Search," and lets out an "Ah!", but doesn't play possum.

 **Bernard** (pumps his left fist) **:** "Yes! Now to look at a wolverine."

After typing it in, Bernard gasps loudly, grabs his heart with his left paw, and starts putting weight on his heels—only to stop himself from falling back.

 **Bernard:** "No! I'm not afraid. _Don't_ play possum for something that isn't real!" He holds his ground, breathes out a sigh, and says "Getting better."

Kale starts to turn his skateboard to leave, until he hears Bernard continue.

 **Bernard:** "Time to take it up a notch by searching for an image of a 'scary wolf' instead of a normal wolf, since one is already living with us and I'm getting used to him."

Kale feels his heart harden, and thinks in rage, " _I'm not scary ta him anymore?! I'll remind_ him _why he should still fear me!_ "

Kale plans to howl or snarl right then and there, but relents.

 **Kale thinking:** " _You's supposed ta be practicing ya sneaking skills, and the key ta dat is patienc...After all, impatience was da first mistake I made in my hunt._ "

Kale controls himself and continues to spy. Much to his delight, Bernard plays possum after searching for the image. Satisfied with Bernard's proper reaction, the wolf decides to leave now. He reckons he has seen everything that will happen from here on out: Bernard will keep looking at images of predators, and will faint for some and not faint for others.

Just when Kale is a good distance away from Bernard, and is trying to think of who to spy on next, the wolf's acute hearing picks up on something interesting that the opossacoon says.

 **Bernard's voice:** "Now I'm ready!" (Playfully devious) "Look out, Mary, 'cuz here I come!"

Kale raises an eyebrow, grins while musing, " _Maybe dis kid has more raccoon in him dan I thought,_ " and uses his nose to go to his next destination.

* * *

Any excitement Kale felt about spying on Mary before Bernard arrives is instantly destroyed when he sees the female opossacoon watching that girly pony cartoon show she talks so highly about. She is also holding a toy of a blue pony with wings, a rainbow mane and tail, and a brand of a rainbow-colored lightning bolt coming from a white cloud on the flank.

 **Kale thinking:** " _As if rainbows weren't sissie'y enough already, now you got 'em on a pony. Dis show was_ made _by lil' girls._ "

 **Mary:** "Yeah! Get 'em Rainbow Dash! Show those meanies why they should never mess with someone as awesome as you, or your friends!"

Mary stands up and moves her toy in sync with the character on the TV. Every time the screen shows Rainbow Dash hit roughly horse-shaped—not to mention ugly—black creatures with large fangs, insect-like wings, big bug eyes, and Swiss cheese-like holes in their legs, Mary throws a punch or a kick while going "Hoo! Uh! Boosh! Get some!"

The TV cuts to a purple unicorn who blasts the shape-shifting creatures with a beam from her horn.

 **Mary:** "Ooo, yeah! Twilight Sparkle's magic is more powerful than ever now that she knows her friends are really her friends instead of changelings impersonating them. Friendship is magic, baby!"

Kale groans at how much of a kid this kid is. It's true that all kids say and do things that are cheesy to those older than them, but he was never like this as a kid, so he finds it extra annoying.

 **Kale thinking:** " _De verdad...How do her parents tolerate 'er?_ "

 **Note** **: "De verdad" means "For real" in Spanish.**

When the black creatures—changelings, apparently—shoot some green beams from their own horns, six ponies are knocked back. In addition to the blue and purple one, there's a white one, a yellow one, a pink one, and an orange one. Mary seems angry at the characters and scolds them.

 **Mary:** "Aw, come on! All you should've seen that coming!" (Sighs quickly) "It's okay, you'll rebound. All you have to do is work together and whatever you do, don't split up."

Much to Mary's chagrin, the ponies obey the purple one's orders to split up so as to keep themselves from being surrounded. Then their shapeshifting adversaries take the forms of the six characters' family or other friends, making the ponies hesitate which leaves them open to attack. Kale is oddly finding himself enjoying the episode—only because it's showing the protagonists being idiots and getting pwned. Anything that displays girly things being hurt is entertainment in his book. Mary, on the other hand, is mad.

 **Mary:** "Uhn! You six _know_ you're fighting changelings! Why're you falling for their tricks?! I hate it when cartoons do this cliché!"

Despite the demographic the show is obviously catered to, Kale finds himself silently commending it for making Mary show her raccoon-inherited intelligence. The kid is criticizing the characters for not doing a more sensible battle plan that she has worked out in her mind. She is also already aware of what a cliché is, and how shows use the same ones. Only after the six ponies decide to fight together do they start turning the tide of the battle. Mary goes back to throwing punches and kicks as the changelings start losing the battle, going "Yeah! Take that, and that, and _that_! Shoot that party canon, Pinkie! Pound 'em into the ground Dash!"

Once the enemy army is forced to retreat, Mary jumps up and down in celebration.

 **Mary:** "There! You see? _That's_ how it's done! You have to use your _combined_ powers to defeat the whole army...But even so, at least Rainbow Dash kicked some butt! Like always!" (To her pony doll) "Right, Dash?" (Imitating Rainbow Dash's voice) "Oh you know it, Mary. That was _too_ easy. I've faced bigger, badder meanies than that. Those changelings are just insects, and I'm their bug zapper! I made 'em taste the rainbow—through my hooves!"

Kale grimaces at the kit's cheesiness. If it wasn't for Bernard coming in sometime soon—" _I hope,_ " the wolf muses—he would have left a long time ago. He has had to put up with this little girl show nonsense for too long. The bright colors and quirky animation look like something out of a drug attic's hallucination. And as expected, it had a happy little ending to make the kiddies feel good, instead of having the guts to show kids the complex truth that good guys don't always win. That doesn't mean the bad guys should defeat the good guys, but the villains could win a small victory—say, killing or capturing one of the good guys—and still lose the larger battle. It would serve as a reminder that every victory has a cost for all sides. But then Kale decides he's reading too deep into something that was made for girls aged from preschool to fifth grade.

 **Mary:** "Yeah, you go Rainbow Dash!" (Imitating Rainbow Dash's voice) "No, _you_ go Mary! Twilight should've listened to your suggestion. If I wasn't so busy leading the charge like the awesome pony I am, I would've come up with the same plan." (As herself) "But then you wouldn't have had so much fun beating those evil changelings." (Imitating Rainbow Dash) "True dat. But it's just like your daddy says, 'When things get dicey, it's better to think about the safety of others than to think about yourself.' Not doing that would be both selfish and dangerous. Even I know when to put my friends above my fun. And you know what else?—"

The Rainbow Dash doll suddenly disappears from Mary's paws, causing her to gasp—as Bernard snatches the toy away from his big sister.

 **Bernard** (imitating his sister's imitation of Rainbow Dash) **:** "You're just a sissy girl who likes to play with dollies! You're little brother is way cooler than you'll ever be! Deal with it! Ha-ha!"

Mary gets to her feet and chases Bernard as he runs around the TV.

 **Mary:** "Gimme back Rainbow Dash, Bernard!"

 **Bernard:** "Come get it, big sis, or should I say big sissy! You should be happy that I stole it. Ponies are for little girly-girls!"

 **Mary:** "For the last time: My Little Pony _isn't_ for little girls! It's got action, comedy, teaches important life lessons and conflict resolution, and has themes that even adults like! Mommy and daddy like watching it too, and they're not sissies!"

 **Bernard:** "They don't like it! They just put up with it because they don't want you to know that you're making them feel like sissies for watching it with you."

Mary can't think of a proper comeback for that, so she does the next best thing by insulting Bernard.

 **Mary:** "Well you're a scaredy boy who's afraid of everything, even your own shadow! That's wimpier than being a sissy!"

 **Bernard:** "Glad to see you agree that you're a sissy! You sissy!"

 **Mary:** "I'll make you eat those words!"

 **Bernard:** "How so? You know you can't catch me, because I inherited more of dad's raccoon genes and raccoons are naturally faster than possums. So what else can you do? Make me play possum? Go ahead and try, I dare you! I double-dog, _triple_ -dog _dare __**you!**_ "

 **Mary** (grins mischievously) **:** "Heh, if you insist."

That's when both siblings know it's on. Unlike Roger and Tyler, whose sibling rivalry traces its roots to the typical young and older sibling competing to see which one is superior, the one between Mary and Bernard is wrought from the two picking on each other. Bernard has been called a "pouch potato" and a "scaredy boy" by his older sister, just as her brother mocks her thumb-sucking and love for _My Little Pony_. Bernard seeks to get revenge for his sister's taunts, just as Mary wants to get back at her brother for his taunts to her. To be fair, Bernard was the one who drew first blood in the twins' rivalry, because he believes _he_ should be the child who is crafty and mischievous, what with him looking more like a raccoon and his sister looking more like a possum. Since he has been so unsuccessful in that endeavor, he feels the best thing to show the world that he is a raccoon is to upstage his sister.

As for Mary, she has been jealous that her little brother has received more attention from her parents than she has. Bernard's meekness and frightful disposition means RJ and Heather won't hesitate to rush over and console him until he feels better. By comparison, her child prodigy talents that make her more of a raccoon at heart have only rarely registered on her parents' radars, usually when she is alone with one of them since they're always comforting Bernard whenever they are together. That's why Mary will do whatever it takes to show her brother just how pathetic his attempts to beat her at her own game are.

Although she silently congratulates Bernard for waiting to make his move at a time when neither of their parents are around to stop the two's antics, that also means that this fight will end with a winner and a loser instead of a draw. She also knows from their previous squabbles that she can beat him by using his own special talent of playing possum against him.

 **Mary** (panicking) **:** "Aiegh! A bear is behind you! RUN!"

Mary knows that all she has to do now is wait. She has often won quarrels using the oldest trick in the book: a spin on the "look out behind you" trope. Her brother is so timid and so possum-like that the mere mention of a predator is usually enough to make him play dead.

That's why she can't believe it when he doesn't do that.

Bernard smiles smugly at how today's training is already starting to pay off.

 **Bernard:** "That'll never work again. You also should've spent more time practicing to play possum, because you can't act good enough either. You'll have to do better than that, big sissy!"

Mary thinks about shouting that a wolverine or a mountain lion is behind her brother, but her raccoon intellect figures that none of those will work on Bernard. She is still running after him, but is stumped at what she can do to make Bernard play possum.

 **Mary thinking:** " _What's scarier than a bear or wolverine, but is something that's more believable to show up here unnoticed...?_ "

It only takes her ten seconds to come up with the solution to the paradox, and in that time frame Bernard thinks his newfound courage has finally blown his sister's mind. She can't take the new and improved him now, so it's rendered her brain-dead, and he wants to capitalize on it.

 **Bernard** (rhetorical) **:** "You give up?

 **Mary:** "Not in a bazillion, quintillion, infinity years!"

 **Bernard:** "Infinity is not a real number, dummy!"

 **Mary:** "I'm still gonna get you for this, you!—*Gasp!* Aiegh! A spider!"

Bernard stops in his tracks when he notices Mary has stopped to cower; going to her knees and covering her eyes with her paws.

 **Mary** (while pointing) **:** "It's over there! To your right!"

Bernard feels his stomach leap from the immediate fear, and from the realization that he didn't look at any scary arthropods when "training" today. But knowing his sister, he shrugs it off because he knows there isn't really a spider near him.

 **Bernard:** "Ha! Yeah right."

Feeling braver than he has in weeks, he decides to indulge Mary and to prove just how pathetic her attempts to scare him are.

 **Bernard:** "This is just another one of your weak tricks, and I'll prove it!"

Bernard confidently puffs up his chest and turns to where he recalls his sister had pointed—and a huge black widow spider is a mere three inches away from him, and crawling along the grass!

Bernard's heart rate triples, he starts sweating bullets, and lets out a bloodcurdling scream. The stress is so sudden and so intense that his possum-inherited reflexes take over. He doesn't even use any drama, he simply falls to the ground and plays possum.

From his safe observation distance, Kale crinkles his nose once Bernard starts emitting the foul smell of dead, rotting meat. Because that means he's in a playing-possum-induced coma, Mary gets up with a giggle, smiles, and says, "Gotcha."

She holds out her right paw and Kale notices for the first time that there is a string tied around her pointer finger. He follows it down and discovers that it leads to the black widow spider, which upon closer examination is rubber. She had kept it hidden in her pouch then tossed it forward before screaming and cowering back. Before that, Mary knew if she kept her brother talking in a way that ensured his ego would build up that her sudden display of fear and her talk of a spider would be more convincing, and therefore, more shocking...especially since he would be cocky.

Even though Kale doesn't know of her intricate thoughts, he can't help but admire her for the ingenuity she has displayed before his eyes.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Oh, ho,_ HO _! Dis girl is devious!...Which means she won't be as easy ta beat inna fight as she looks._ "

Mary casually walks up to her unconscious brother and plucks her pony doll out of his paw. After a quick examination, she concludes that the doll isn't broken or smudged in the slightest.

 **Mary:** "No one messes with my Rainbow Dash...On TV _and_ in real life. Right, Dash?" (Imitating Rainbow Dash's voice) "Ri-ight. He underestimated how your friendship with me makes you brave, smart, and daring. Just like me."

 **Kale thinking** (in dismay) **:** " _And dare goes her awesomeness, replaced with her girliness...Oh well. At least she's right about her bein' braver dan her bro._ "

Because Mary heads back to the TV to watch her precious cartoon show, and only Mother Nature knows how long Bernard will take to regain consciousness, Kale quietly moves to the next animals he chooses to spy on.

 **Note** **: I want to make it clear that, contrary to what you might expect, I currently am not, nor have I ever been, nor intend to become, a brony. The** _ **My Little Pony**_ **information I used was gathered from ScrewAttack's Death Battle episodes Starscream vs. Rainbow Dash, Deadpool vs. Pinkie Pie, and Raven vs. Twilight Sparkle, as well as "word on the street" knowledge. The details of the changeling battle described in this chapter was based on the brief clips shown in the above-mentioned Death Battle episodes, along with my own inferences and imagination. Any similarities to a real** _ **MLP**_ **episode(s) that aren't from the previously-stated sources are purely coincidental since I have never seen a single** _ **MLP FiM**_ **episode. And any words said in defense of the show are what I theorize fans would argue in defense of it.**

* * *

By now it is past 1:00 PM, and unsurprisingly, Kale has no trouble tracking down Stella's scent. But what is surprising is the blissful moaning and groaning that escapes the skunk's windpipe...quite frequently. He also hears Tiger's voice and can tell that they are very close to one another.

 **Tiger's voice:** "You like that, my love."

 **Stella's voice:** "Ohhhh. You know it, Tiger."

 **Tiger's voice:** "How about this?"

 **Stella's voice:** "Mmmm-hmmm. You, my pompous mate, do that like a pro."

 **Tiger's voice:** "I expect you to give me the same treatment soon, my love."

 **Stella's voice:** "Sure thang..." (Lewdly) "How 'bout you go lower?"

 **Tiger's voice** (suave tone) **:** "Like this..."

 **Stella's voice:** "Ahhhhh. Just like that. You make me feel so—Mmmmm. Please...go on."

Stella lets out a shuddering whimper, and Tiger purrs. A few moments later, Stella lets out a long, drawn out, cat-like _Reow_. Normally, Kale wouldn't go anywhere near the two since first, he has the decency to respect any intimate privacy his caretakers are engaged in, and second, if he gets caught he will be in for a world of hurt...not to mention a world of stink. However, neither feline nor mustelid are giving off any pheromones, so Kale just has to know what the two could be doing that's causing their reactions and smooth talk.

He comes to an area with a tree line to his right and a group of shrubs to his left, making the path he is traveling down seem like a hallway. With his senses, he deduces that the two are somewhere at the end of the shrub line, and quietly makes his way to it. Once he's at the last shrub, he knows for sure that the ecstatic skunk and her gratifying mate will be to his left. To avoid getting caught, Kale slowly inches himself around and uses his peripheral vision. His eyes widen and his mouth gapes at the sight of...

 **Stella:** "Oh, Tiger..."

...Stella laying down on the ground with Tiger on top of her back—giving her a massage with all four paws.

 **Kale thinking** (in relief) **:** " _Oh, a massage...Phew._ "

 **Note** **: What did you** _ **think**_ **they were doing, you silly, dirty-minded person(s)? Trolled you! LOL!**

 **Stella:** "...Where did you learn to do this from?"

 **Tiger:** "Heh-heh. Years of my former master leaving me alone in the house with the TV on, I learned how to use the remote control and watched any programs that taught me ways to pamper the one who would become my mate."

 **Stella:** "All praises to the masseuse shows!"

Having gotten his fill of spying on these two, and wanting to give them all the privacy they want, Kale silently backtracks away and goes after Luby's, Rick's, Roger's, and Ty's scents.

Twelve minutes later, he finds the family of raccoons in an area with leaves and pine straw on the ground and the endless hedge at the four's backs, and two black garbage bags with one on Rick's right and the other on Luby's left. Because observing them from the front would risk them noticing him, Kale makes his way over to where some trees are for him to hide behind. While doing that, his hearing catches the raccoons' conversation.

 **Rick:** "Remember that day we talked about the raccoon species' ability we call 'the feel'?"

 **Ty:** "Of course, daddy. How could we forget? The drone we used was awesome!"

 **Roger:** "That's not the lesson you should've learned, dummy! You should've remembered how to use _the feel_."

Tyler wants to lash out at his older brother's insult, but knows that would only prove to his parents that he didn't remember their lecture about _the feel_ to begin with.

 **Luby:** "Which was?"

 **Roger: "** What?"

 **Luby:** "How do you use _the feel_ , Roger?"

 **Roger:** "Well...I...I..."

Ty grins at how fortunate he is that some parents, like his, are smarter than others. Frustrated, Roger tries to change the subject.

 **Roger:** "Aw, why can't Tyler and I just have fun like our other friends?"

 **Luby:** "First, because you two just proved why we need to work on how you use _the feel_. _The feel_ is important to use whenever we go on heists, or satisfy our species' kleptomania.

"Second and more importantly, because with you boys' uncontrollable urge to tear at each other's throats at every possible opportunity, your father and I simply _can't_ trust you two to be left alone."

 **Rick:** "You wanna earn your freedom, then you have to learn to get along together. Your mother and I have had it up to here" (raises his paw as high as he can) "with your excessive sibling rivalry."

 **Luby:** "We understand that all siblings get on each other's nerves, but your squabbles have been getting in the way of spending time with the rest of the family. Your father and I can't relax whenever either of you speak, because we have to listen carefully and be ready to move in to cool you down. Not to mention that it's embarrassing for us" (Points at Rick with her right paw and to herself with her left paw) "to be known by other animals as the parents of the 'terrible two' as other adults in the forest have been calling you."

 **Rick:** "Your mom and I are glad that you boys don't get into a fight whenever we're on heists, since that would endanger everyone's safety. But at the rate you two are going, it's only a matter of time before that happens. So today's activity will be to have you two work together in order to use _the feel_ to find a particular item in the garbage bags we brought with us."

 **Ty:** "But there are two garbage bags. Can't you have us race to see who can locate the items before the other?"

 **Roger:** "Yeah. We promise we won't rub it in."

 **Luby and Rick in unison:** "No."

 **Luby:** "We made sure the garbage had contents so difficult to sift through that it will take both of you to locate the special items."

 **Rick:** "Are you two clear on what you'll be doing, how you're doing it, and why you're doing it in the way we ask?"

 **Roger:** "Yes, daddy. We know that we—"

 **Ty:** "Have to work on getting along—"

 **Roger:** "If we wanna stop causing—"

 **Roger and Ty in unison:** "So much trouble for you, ourselves, and others."

The two glare at each other for finishing their sibling's sentences, but quickly drop it and turn back to their parents upon understanding that any arguments will only result in more instances of losing free time.

 **Roger and Tyler thinking:** " _Besides, not arguing with my brother will impress mom and dad. That way, we'll get to have real free time again sooner._ "

 **Luby:** "Good. Now as a reminder, _the feel_ is how raccoons can mentally imagine the touch of a particular item we're looking for, while letting us avoid getting something we're not interested in. _The feel_ also involves us being able to selectively touch the thing we want to get, whether we are physically using our paws or using something to help us grab the item."

Kale has reached a good hiding spot by now and upon hearing Luby's explanation, he can't help but make another connection between the ways of wolves with the ways of prey. The feel is a lot like whenever Kale fine tunes his predator-spirit that he uses whenever all of his senses are engaged in 'hunting mode.' The fine tuning lets him ignore other prey that is within reach and focuses instead on the prey he wishes to hunt. Before today he always thought only predators had that kind of ability, but now he knows otherwise. This makes him really interested in seeing the young twins try to use this "feel" thing that raccoons have.

 **Rick:** "There are two marbles in the first bag." (Points to his right) "Here's what they look like." (Holds up a white marble with a swirling red streak running horizontally across it like the Earth's equator) "Since you two are just beginners, you need to come up here, touch the marble to get an idea of how it feels, and then on my or your mom's signal, you will start going through the trash bag beside me."

 **Roger and Ty in unison:** "Yes sir."

The two walk up but Roger takes it right as Ty was about to get it.

 **Ty:** "Hey, _I_ wanted to get it first!"

 **Roger:** "It's not my fault you're too slow!"

 **Luby:** "Eh-hem!"

The twins look up and see their mother with crossed arms, a tapping foot, and giving them a sideways stare that they know all too well. It's her way of nonverbally telling the two to control their temper, or else they'll be punished.

 **Roger:** "Um, here you can have it first." (Holds out the marble)

 **Ty:** "No, I'll just wait my turn."

Roger focuses his attention back on feeling his paws around the marble and Ty looks back at Luby who nods and gives a quick, thin smile. Once Roger thinks he's had long enough, he hands it to his younger brother. Normally, Roger would go ahead and start rummaging through the garbage can, but knowing that his every move is under close observation by his parents, he decides to wait. He gets impatient at his brother for taking longer than he did, but doesn't say anything to rush him. Once Ty puts the marble down, both he and Roger get beside one another and look at their parents.

 **Rick:** "Ready?"

 **Luby:** "Start!"

The kits go over to the garbage bag on Rick's right, open it, and start going through it. Each concentrates hard on what they remember the marble felt like in their paws as they dig through all the containers, jars, food, and various other things.

 **Roger:** "I think I found it!" (Pulls out his paw) "Oh, it's just a ball of paper."

 **Ty:** "It'll feel harder than that. Keep searching."

Roger nods and does what his brother says. A few moments later, Ty says, "Ah, here it—" (Pulls out a cheese ball) "Is..."

 **Roger:** "Don't assume you've found it just because the object is round. You—" (Mentally recalls his parents are watching) "Uh, never mind."

After some more searching, Roger picks up a package, shakes it, and discovers that it has something small inside of it. Before her pulls it out of the bag, Roger looks over at Ty and says, "Let's both double check the packages to make sure it might not be stuffed in one of them."

 **Ty:** "No way. I wanna keep searching for it in the garbage bag itself. You double check the packages."

Roger initially wants to scold his brother for being lazy, then realizes that Tyler's plan won't break the pace of their rummaging. He honestly didn't expect his brother was capable of such a great idea, what with him being younger.

 **Roger:** "Ty, that's brilliant!"

 **Ty:** "Really, you think so?"

 **Roger:** "Absolutely! You keep searching the bag itself, and put any more packages you find that have something inside of them next to me."

 **Ty:** "Gotcha."

The two are so busy carrying out their new plan that they don't see their parents looking at each other with big smiles on their faces. It's a bit of a shame because Rick and Luby are so proud for their sons right now. Not only have Roger and Ty figured out a way that can cover twice as much ground (so to speak), but they have been putting a true effort into reducing their rivalry. And that is the goal. Luby and Rick are smart enough to know that they can't _entirely_ eliminate their kids' sibling rivalry, but they _can_ reduce it to more manageable levels.

Two minutes of searching pass and Roger pulls out the marble from a package he is searching—just as Ty finds another marble in the garbage bag.

 **Roger:** "Got it!"

 **Ty:** "Me too!"

 **Roger and Ty in unison** (in monotone surprise) **:** "Wait, what?"

 **Rick:** "Ha, ha! That's my boys!"

 **Roger:** "What do you—"

 **Ty:** "Mean—"

 **Roger and Ty in unison:** "Daddy?"

 **Rick:** "You two worked together, and both of you succeeded. That's what happens when you work on a common goal instead of trying to outdo the other."

 **Roger:** "So you knew there were two marbles all along?"

 **Luby:** "Both of us did. And even if _how_ you found the marbles was different, what matters is that you agreed on a strategy and stayed out of the other's fur. What you've learned is that you can do things in two different ways, and still achieve the same goal."

 **Roger and Ty in unison** (in realization) **:** "Ohhhhhh..."

 **Rick:** "Here's your reward."

Rick reaches into the hedge and pulls out two bars of chocolate. His sons eagerly rush up and grab them. That's when they discover each is only a fraction of the full size, and one is larger than the other.

 **Roger:** "Hey, no fair. Tyler's is bigger than mine."

 **Ty** (in rhetorical humor) **:** "Lucky me, eh?"

 **Luby:** "Roger is right, Ty. It's unfair that he worked just as hard as you and only gets half of your reward."

 **Rick:** "You both earned these prizes, so you each need to get the same amount. How do you do that?"

 **Roger:** "By sharing, of course." (Looks into Tyler's eyes) "C'mon, Ty. Let's break yours apart so we can have the same amount."

 **Ty:** "No way José. You didn't get as dirty as me by checking out the packages that I found for you."

 **Roger:** "Mo-om! Da-ad! Make Tyler share."

 **Rick:** "You heard your older brother, Ty. It doesn't matter who worked harder. You worked as a team, you get rewarded as a team."

 **Ty** (groans) **:** "Oh, alright."

The two kits compare their chocolate bars and break off the amount from Tyler's that will make Roger's have the same. Once they're done eating, the turn their heads to Rick's voice.

 **Rick:** "Now, for the next garbage bag by your mom there is only one item that's inside."

 **Luby:** "And here it is." (Holds up an Ace of spades card) "Come and touch it."

Roger gets to Luby first, but in an odd turn of events, he stops and looks over at Ty behind him.

 **Roger:** "You can have it first this time, Ty."

 **Ty:** "Really? Even after I didn't wanna share my chocolate with you?"

 **Roger:** "Anymore reminder of that and I'll change my mind." (Winks)

 **Ty** (giggles) **:** "Thanks, Roger."

The reason for Roger's display of extra generosity is that he figures that if he and Ty start treating each other better much sooner than they did on the first garbage bag, the reward will be even greater. Once each has finished feeling the card, they wait for their parents go and start searching for it. This time the task is harder because there are a lot of paper products in the garbage bag.

 **Ty:** "How do we tell it apart from the rest?"

 **Roger:** "Lemme think. Hmmmm...First we need to dump everything out so we'll have more room to search and a better view of the Ace card."

 **Ty:** "And after that we can separate the pile in half where I'll look through one pile and you'll look through the other."

 **Roger** (nods yes) **:** "Yeah."

As the two work together to empty the garbage bag, they are unaware that Rick is about to tell them that they can't do that. He's stopped by Luby's outstretched paw that's in a stop hand gesture. The married couple gets close and whispers quietly into their ears.

 **Rick:** "What gives? In the future they won't be able to dump the contents of heavy garbage cans on the ground. And their plan has them using their sight more than _the feel_."

 **Luby:** "They're still young, honey. Let's not make things too hard for them just yet..."

 **Rick:** "But I had halfway mastered _the feel_ when I was their age—"

 **Luby** (testy) **:** "Rick..."

 **Rick:** "Okay...Just because this is the best they've treated each other in years."

When the two look back at the ground, they see their sons have already halved the garbage and are looking through it diligently. As before, they often gasp when they think they find the Ace of spades card, only to discover it's a false alarm. But with enough patience, the two boys find the card—simultaneously. It turns out that each had been so focused on using _the feel_ that they didn't realize when they reached for the same envelope, turned it over, and saw the Ace of spades being held by the seal flap.

The two didn't reach for it immediately, but had hesitated to look at each other. They can't deny that working together to accomplish something is a greater experience than they originally thought. However, they still want to have fun in their own way of competing, even if it's in the most subtle of ways. They have spent too many years trying to outdo the other for them to want to let that feeling go so soon. The look in their eyes as one realized that the other felt the exact same way made them both come to the same conclusion. After an almost telepathic "Ready, set, go!" they reach for the card as fast as they can. They are so fast that they can't even decide who grabbed it first, but that doesn't stop them for having their unique fun.

 **Tyler:** "Beat ya."

 **Roger:** "Heh-heh. You wish."

Any confusion Luby and Rick feel for what their sons meant by that is immediately replaced with relief that Roger and Ty didn't break out into an argument. Quite the contrary, their sons seemed to be enjoying themselves, which exceeds even their expectations.

 **Luby** (looks at Rick) **:** "Remind me to raise their allowance."

 **Rick** (to Luby) **:** "Why wait?" (To his sons) "Roger and Tyler..." (Waits for them to look at him) "From now on, you boys get to have a full package of whatever food you want for your personal stash."

Roger and Ty look at each other while gasping with bright smiles on their faces.

 **Roger:** "A _full_ package?!"

 **Ty:** "You're the best, mommy and daddy!"

 **Luby:** "You boys earned it. You worked hard together, shared with one another, and didn't argue. But if you two start to get into fights again, we'll cut your allowance, understand?"

 **Roger and Ty in unison:** "Yes ma'am."

 **Luby:** "And now, here's your reward for finding the Ace of spades."

She reaches into the hedge and pulls out an object that makes their eyes twinkle in delight.

 **Ty:** "No way!"

 **Roger:** " _Fortnite_ for Nintendo Switch!"

The kits run over and hug their parents.

 **Ty:** "Thank you, mommy and daddy!" (Really fast) "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

 **Rick:** "You're very welcome, kids."

 **Luby:** "But we expect you to play this game to get more practice with working together and to learn how to get along with each other better."

Due to his excitement, Roger speaks in a rushed way when he says, "Yes ma'am and yes sir." (To Ty) "Let's go play this right now! I wanna be the first to brag to Bucky, Quillo, Spike, Emma, Rachel, and Emily that we have _Fortnite_ and they don't"

 **Ty:** "No, _I_ wanna tell 'em first!"

 **Roger:** "Not if I get there before you!"

 **Ty:** "If it's a race you want, then it's a race you'll get!"

As the twins run off to go and play the game, Luby turns to Rick and he turns to her.

 **Rick:** "That's one small step to one giant leap in those two learning how to get along—"

 **Luby:** "Don't push your luck, honey. They could relapse at any moment, so we need to remain watchful...But yes, they've made a lot of progress today. But couldn't you have found a video game that's more about getting along instead of competition?"

 **Rick** (raises an eyebrow with a "yeah right" facial expression) **:** "Are you kidding? There _aren't_ any video games like that. If there were they'd be boring and not sell well."

 **Luby** (sighs) **:** "You're right...Anyway, let's go keep an eye on them."

Rick nods and the couple briskly walks back to the direction of the Pad area. Ten steps later, and Rick can't help but add something.

 **Rick:** "You _know_ they get it from you, right? I never had a sibling rivalry with my little brother, Riley, but you did with you older brother Earl."

 **Luby:** "That's because my parents wouldn't stop showering him with praise and me with 'You should be more like your big brother who is sooo much better than you,' which belittled me. But you _did_ develop a short fuse after your brother..."

She immediately decides not to finish that line of dialogue and switches the subject.

 **Luby:** "And your dad was quick to anger too."

 **Rick:** "True about both me and my dad, but your temper is a loose cannon ready to blow."

 **Luby** (warningly) **:** " **Rii** - _ **iiiic**_ _ **k!**_ "

She visibly gets a grip on her emotions as she realizes showing anger now would only confirm what her mate is saying.

 **Luby** (calmly) **:** "So, I guess we can admit that our kids' behavior is inherited from us both. Agreed?"

 **Rick** (kisses Luby's cheek) **:** "Yes."

Having solved their married couple argument, the two continue on to the Pad in silence.

* * *

Kale had watched the sibling bonding exercise hoping to see the kits fail since a quarrel between any of the animals who contributed to his failed hunt (in this case, Tyler) would be an enjoyable sight to behold for him. But now that he's done observing these raccoons, he not only feels disappointed that their parents didn't have to punish them, but also feels humbled. He thought he and his brothers had a rough sibling rivalry, but from what the parents of these two raccoon brothers have said, their kids put the three ex-Sniff-Tracker wolves all to shame. The wolf-mind in him wants to try to reignite the rivalry to ensure Tyler gets a well-deserved punishment. Kale decides to actually do that, and thinks his first opportunity will be during the next "performance" he and the animals will do when the next wolf observer from his pack comes by.

 **Kale thinking:** " _It's worth a try. Just don't do anythin' dat'll point toward you._ "

When his thoughts return to Rick and Luby, Kale is again reminded of his own parents. Like the raccoons, Eddie and Sharnese were always watchful of he and his brothers, always ready to administer quick and efficient discipline, and always ready to reward them with love and gifts for doing the right thing. Kale sighs in longing...

Oh, how he wishes he could go back to that kind of life. Back when Luciano and Bugsy were called Barker and Marker, and treated him like a true hermano...Back when the pressure of following the codes of wolf society wasn't a constant burden on his mind...Back when he could live separate from the Bone-Chompers, and especially Gabby...Back when family was more important than being fearsome wolves...And back when his parents told him they loved him before he went to bed. The thought of all this brings a tear to his eye. What's worse is that this is type of life each of the animals in this "family" are living, so Kale has to be reminded of it every day and every night he is with them.

Kale then shakes his head and pulls himself together.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Enough...You had 10 years of dat kinda life when most wolves don't get any, so you's were spoiled. But ya not a kid anymore, you's a teen who's gotta have more responsibility and work harder than you did as a kid...Moreov'a, you's a teenager in da Bone-Chomper Pack. The_ only _teenager in the Bone-Chomper Pack. You should feel honored with dat title_."

But that's also why he always felt so alone while with them. He had no one else his age to interact with and because he's the youngest, everyone treats him like a pup. The only time he got the respect he craved was from this group of animals, which will make parting with them all the more difficult. He almost doesn't want to—

Kale can hear the record scratch sound effect. His eyes widen and he slaps himself across the face to literally knock the sense back into himself.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Stop it. You's gettin' too attached to 'em. You can't let dat happen,_ no matter what _. When you're healed, you'll go back ta you's pack and start bein' treated like a pup again._ "

Thankfully, the blow to his face seems to do more than return his mind back to its original state; it also jogs his memory. Kale recalls his lie to eat the animals, and feels more positive about his future. If he and the hedgies can take the necessary steps to make their deaths convincing, then Kale will be treated with respect when he returns to his pack. Not to mention that Bugsy and Luciano are back on his side again, and will help defend him from the pack's taunts. So there is nothing for him to worry about for now. All he has to worry about is which hedgie(s) he will spy on next. He's been on a roll so far in that he hasn't been seen or detected by scent. So he's already a stealthy wolf, even more so than he initially believed himself to be.

And he'll need to be extra stealthy once he makes his decision on who to observe. As he heads for their direction, he recollects that he's been playing it a bit too safe while spying on the animals. He's never gotten close enough to risk getting caught, and as a wolf he needs to be stealthy enough to get within point blank range of prey without being noticed.

 **Kale thinking** (smiles) **:** " _Time ta take things up a notch._ "

* * *

Because the forest family knows his scent very well, Kale finds an unoccupied pond to get in to wash off his scent, then rolls around in nearby leaves and foliage to get rid of the wet dog smell. The whole process takes a while and causes him a bit of pain with his hind leg injuries, but he endures it for the greater good of becoming a better wolf. Once he is dry, he starts moving away to his next "targets": Rogan and Sarah. However, he has hardly gone 20 feet away from the pond when he smells Plushie's scent coming closer.

With his natural scent gone, all the wolf has to do is remain out of the young box turtle's sight, and he finds a large rock to go behind to do just that. Plushie arrives a minute later at the top of a hill that angles down and overlooks the pond. Because the hill's height allows the turtle a perfect view of the surrounding area in a 50 foot diameter, Kale commends himself for choosing his cover wisely because the pine straw and leaves covering the rock perfectly camouflage his light brown fur, along with his regular-brown and dark brown patterns on his back, tip of the tail, and face.

Plushie looks up at the sky, takes a deep breath, and says, "Hey, mom. It's me again...If you're listening right now, I just want ya to know that I'm doing great."

Kale raises an eyebrow at the unexpectedness of Plushie's actions.

 **Plushie:** "I'm so happy with Uncle Verne and Aunt Velma. Uncle Verne is the father I never had, and Aunt Velma is like a second mom to me. Even though they're not as fun as you, I still love them and they love me back... My unrelated aunts, uncles, and cousins love going on adventures, and every time we go on a heist or fool around with humans, I think of you and am reminded that your spirit lives on."

He pauses to sigh, but Kale can't tell if it's in sorrow or relief.

 **Plushie:** "I have so many new friends now, which I never got to have back when you and I were always traveling on adventures...No matter how much time goes by or how much fun I have with my new family and friends, I'll always miss you. Uncle Verne said it's a good thing for me to miss you because if I didn't miss you, then it would mean I never loved you." (While sobbing) "And I'll always love you, because I'll always miss you. I'll never forget the time we spent together. I never got to tell you how much that really meant to me, but if you can hear me now, know that I thank you for being the best mom anyone could ever have!"

Plushie wipes more tears from his eyes and uses a leaf as a kleenex to blow his nose on. Kale can't believe that a wolf like him feels it, but he also can't deny that he has been touched at how much this kid has been through. Plushie's whole life had to start from a blank state. He left his old life to become a part of a newer life, not really knowing just how it would turn out, but willing to take the risk.

 **Plushie:** "We've been going on a lot of heists lately to replace everything some wolves destroyed, and are taking care of one who got injured. You'll be shocked to know that I saved my friend Brooke from one of the wolves who would've killed her, and I'm one of the three in our family who brought the others to the injured one. You probably think I'm crazy—heh, what am I saying, it _is_ crazy. Even you wouldn't be that daring, but I guess Uncle Verne's and Aunt Velma's kindness has rubbed off on me. I really hope his time with us will make him be nicer to other prey animals, and I think I'll become braver when facing predators as a result of his stay."

 **Kale thinking** (in a huff) **:** " _In ya's dreams._ "

 **Plushie:** "I hope I'm making you proud, and if it's not too much to ask, I'd like for you to give me a sign showing me that you're proud of me. If not, then *sigh* don't worry about it. It's just a teensy favor." (Pauses to wipe tears of happiness from his eyes) "Even though you're gone, how I see it, you're always around me...You're with me in every breath I take, in every leap I make, and in every muscle I move when swimming. I'll make sure your memory lives on in me in everything I say, believe, and do." (Lump-in-the-throat tone) "I love you mom."

Plushie lowers his head while sighing, having finally gotten rid of some heavy baggage he's been carrying for a while. Then, something wondrous happens.

Wind suddenly blows from behind Plushie, causing the startled turtle to turn around. Leaves, dirt, and pine needles fly past him, carried by the wind in a contained swirl, rather than the wind coming from everywhere behind him. The foliage particles move as if they possess a mind of their own, going down the hill, curving upward at a natural ramp at the hill's bottom, then they land in the pond. Once there the particles form the shape of check mark—a symbol often used to affirm something.

Kale can't see the pond from his spot behind the rock, but he does see Plushie's expression slowly but surely change from bewilderment to uncontainable happiness.

 **Plushie** (thinking) **:** " _Mom heard me! She heard me! And she's proud of me!_ " (Out loud) "Woo-hoo! Thanks mom! No more sadness, time to have fun—in the way you taught me!"

Plushie runs forward, jumps, curls into his shell in midair, rolls down the hill, is launched airborne by the natural ramp, and finally lands in the pond below. When he surfaces, he has his fist raised in triumph...both in reaction to the euphoric fun and in overcoming his sorrow.

 **Plushie** (yelling) **:** "Yeeeaaaah! Awe-some! Let's do that again!"

He goes back up the hill as fast as turtlely possible, and once there his eyes are drawn to a vine that's hanging two feet away from the edge of the natural ramp, suspended from a tree like a rope swing above the water. Rather than take the time to calculate the most feasible way he will be able to grab hold of the vine in midair, and spurred instead by his excitement, Plushie rolls down the hill again. He pops out of his shell with outstretched arms, but is at an angle that prevents him from grabbing the vine. He still has fun landing in the deep water again, though. When he gets back to the top of the hill, he then comes up with a plan to grab the vine. It pays off too, as he swings on the vine and yells like Tarzan before letting go and landing in the water with a big splash.

 **Plushie:** "That was for you, mom! Next one's for me!"

Plushie goes back up the hill, rolls down it, goes up the ramp, intentionally misses the vine and gets into a swan dive angle when he pops his head and appendages out of his shell. Kale originally wanted to slowly start leaving after that, but becomes too entranced with the turtle's surprising athleticism. He stays to see Plushie perform all sorts of stunts when he rolls down the hill, sometimes with the vine and sometimes without it. The longer the wolf stays the more he thinks that Plushie must be part bird, because he has never seen a turtle do the things he's doing. Kale thought all turtles were slow, too bulky, and had too short of appendages to do anything like what he's seeing. His concept of prey has once again been shattered, even though he acknowledges that Plushie is the exception and not the norm. Whoever his late mother was, she certainly taught her son how to have a blast with life.

That redirects the canine's thoughts to the events before Plushie started having his fun. Kale has heard that some folks believe their dead relatives can hear them when they find a quiet and secluded place to speak. Humans usually do that at graveyards where their loved ones are buried, but since most animals don't get gravestones—like Plushie's mother, apparently—the latter just talk to the air. Kale always thought animals who did that had something wrong with their head, because what looney thinks the dead can hear? But today, his beliefs about life and death have been challenged yet again.

Kale is not what you'd call a spiritual kid, but he could feel the emotion behind Plushie's words, and could tell that every syllable spoken had come from deep within the reptile's heart. Even though he didn't see the check mark form in the pond, Kale can still tell that Plushie interpreted the wind as a sign from his dead mom.

 **Kale thinking:** " _If I spoke ta my mom and dad like he did, would they give me a sign too? Why haven't they given_ me _a sign before? Heck, Luciano and Bugsy said they got a sign from mom and dad before coming ta bring me back. So where does that leave me?_ "

That's when it occurs to the wolf that not once has he tried to have a heart-to-heart talk with his parents since their passing. Are they ashamed of him for that? Do they see him as not valuing their love enough? He has thought about them a lot and misses them dearly, but would they want him to carry on their legacy, what little of it there was? How should he carry on their legacy? Would that make him feel happier with his life? If he couldn't become a true Bone-Chomper, should he become a true Sniff-Tracker?

Kale takes ten, unblinking seconds to mull the thought over, then comes to his conclusion...with a disappointed sigh one might add. He can't become a Sniff-Tracker, not ever since he joined the Bone-Chomper Pack could he have done that. The Sniff-Tracker line died with his parents, so if he wants to make them proud he has to be a true Bone-Chomper. That's what the codes of wolf society demand and he cannot argue against them.

With another sigh at how hard it is to be a wolf, Kale looks at Plushie as the kid continues to have the time of his life, judges that the reptile is too focused on that instead of his surroundings, and the wolf leaves the pond discretely. He contemplates who he has seen and not seen, and locates the scents of the next creatures in the prey animal family he will observe.

* * *

Kale locates Rogan and Sarah not by the raccoons' particular scents, but rather from the powerful scent of affection and happiness—almost bordering on courtship—the two are giving off. Because of that, Kale initially decides not to venture too close to the couple, even with his own scent masked. Then he remembers that he should become a better Bone-Chomper, and each member of his pack would take the risk, so he needs to do the same. He finds them among a thicket of trees with dirt as the ground, which makes his advance and hiding behind a tree 10 feet away from them all the more easy. They are sitting on a small log and Rogan has a left arm around Sarah, who is resting her head on his shoulder, and both are stroking their spouse's fur lovingly.

 **Sarah:** "Remember the night we met?"

 **Rogan:** "Like it was yesterday. I was 15 and you were 14. I had just started to go on my way back home with a bag of fast food that I stole from a human at a drive-thru."

 **Sarah:** "And I was rummaging through the dumpster at the back of the store. Since there was a tall wall that separated the lot from the forest, you climbed the dumpster and accidentally dropped the bag right on top of me. By the time you jumped down in there, I had already taken a bite of a cheeseburger."

 **Rogan:** "I thought you would argue that the bag belonged to you, but like a true lady you apologized and handed the food back to me after I explained it was mine."

 **Sarah:** "You were so nice to share your food with me...for half a minute. Then that restaurant worker, who had followed you after hearing the irate customer, came to attack us with a mop. I was frozen in fear, but you told me that if I do what you do, we'd get out of this mess."

 **Rogan:** "Rather than try to climb out of the dumpster when the mop was close, I told you to grab onto the mop and let the guy lift you out."

 **Sarah:** "I thought you were crazy, even by raccoon standards, so I wasn't planning to budge."

 **Rogan** (turns to look Sarah in the eyes) **:** "Do you remember what I told you to do after that?"

 **Sarah:** "You said 'I need you to trust me...' " (Puts a paw gently on Rogan's cheek) "Best advice I ever took."

 **Rogan:** "Once the human noticed you were clinging to the mop, he hurled you with all his might—right over the wall and into the woods. He then did the same to me."

 **Sarah:** "Humans were a lot less violent back then. Their first instinct was simply to shoo us back to where we belonged. Nowadays, they try to beat us up or kill us. I don't know what happened to change their perception of wild animals."

 **Rogan:** "It actually worked out great for him too, because he was named Employee of the Month and eventually worked his way up to become the restaurant manager."

 **Sarah:** "I can't believe I scolded you for your plan once you joined me in the woods."

 **Rogan:** "I said, 'It worked didn't it?' And once you calmed down, I decided to have more fun by saying that you owed me a dinner."

 **Sarah:** "That's when we got into an argument, since I said you were the clumsy klutz who dropped your food...But as we talked, I could feel your charisma captivating me. You have such a lovely voice, a bright smile, and such lively eyes that emphasized your words. When we went our separate ways I thought you were the coolest guy ever, and wanted to know more about you."

 **Rogan:** "And like all guys, I didn't really read too deeply into you the first few months when we started seeing each other regularly. You were just a friend to me then, I already had my eyes on another raccoon, Rhonda. But it was puppy love, and I realized that when my heart didn't break when she and her folks moved. That's when we really started deepening our relationship."

 **Sarah:** "I did all I could to show you my true feelings—resting my head on your shoulder and lying that I was tired, doing the old 'fake yawn and reach behind the shoulder' act, and making you give me a kiss on the cheek 'for good luck' whenever we did something more adventurous—and you were still so ignorant."

 **Rogan:** "Boys who never notice girls' affections for them, ain't that an annoying trope? Good thing you were persistent, or I'd have only seen you as a friend."

 **Sarah:** "I would have given up on you and looked for another raccoon, if it wasn't for that afternoon you wanted to take me swimming. I had my fur combed the fanciest way I've ever done because I was planning to finally pay you back for making you lose your dinner the night we met, and wasn't expecting you to want to go swimming that day. But I couldn't refuse if I wanted you to be with me that night. And as you took my paw and led the way, you said 'It's a shame we're gonna get all wet because you look so stunning today.' In my mind I was saying, 'He actually noticed?' That's when I realized there was hope for you after all. And do you remember what made _you_ realize I had a crush on you?"

 **Rogan:** "We had just finished having a fun afternoon swimming when you said 'Rogan, I never made up for your dinner that you lost on the night we met.' As you took my paw to take me to your place, I said to myself, 'She actually remembered?' When we arrived you had your parents and sister set up a dinner night for us. And it was from the same fast food restaurant! You even had stolen the exact same meal: an extra-large cheeseburger, large fries, and a medium soda..." (Sighs) "That story is why Rebecca tried to repeat that magic night when she invited Garrett over. Poor kid...But she said she's gotten over it."

 **Sarah:** "We'll talk to her soon to make sure...But I'll never forget the surprised look on your face the moment you saw everything that was set up on our special night. I never thought I could ever break your complexion, but I ended up doing exactly that."

 **Rogan:** "When we finished our dinner, you finally confessed how you really felt about me. When you finished, all of my experiences with you flashed before my eyes and I cried like a newborn kit at how blind I had been toward you, even when you did your best to say it wasn't my fault. When I calmed down, I promised to turn a new leaf and make sure to never let my fun get in the way of you."

 **Sarah:** "Because I realized how doing crazy and daring things is what defines you, I told you not to change anything about yourself."

 **Rogan:** "And thank heaven for that." (Winks) "But I still paid more attention to you and considered your well-being when planning shenanigans."

 **Sarah:** "We officially began dating, and five years later you were ready to pop the question to my parents."

 **Rogan:** "The problem was, you had explained so much about your feelings for me to your parents, and they had noticed how happy we made each other, that they told me they were perfectly fine with me becoming their daughter's fiancé—before I could even ask them permission."

 **Sarah:** "We got married the next year...And three years later I became pregnant with RJ."

Kale expects the two to continue the story about their lives, but is puzzled when they stop there and remain silent for three minutes. Being an intelligent wolf, Kale quickly figures out the reason is because the two want to avoid talking any more about the events in their lives that happened after that, because those were their darkest days. When Sarah finally speaks she changes the subject to something positive.

 **Sarah:** "Isn't it so lovely here?"

 **Rogan:** "It sure is. I can't believe we asked RJ to come live with us when we first reunited with him four years ago."

Sarah lifts her head up and gently breaks free of Rogan's hold, which causes him to turn to her in confusion. He opens his mouth to ask her a question, but she puts two fingers to his lips to still his tongue. The two use their eyes and listen to the voice in their heart to communicate with each other. After 15 seconds of staring, the two wrap their arms around one another in a tight hug and kiss. Watching, Kale wonders if RJ's supposed psychic abilities may be inherited from his parents. The more the two raccoons talk after breaking away from their embrace, the better Kale understands why the pheromones they're giving off are increasing.

 **Sarah:** "After 16 years of endless fear and pursuit from wolves..."

 **Rogan:** "And 14 years of relentless searching for our son...That's 30 years that we didn't have time to stop and enjoy our lives. And now we're making up for it..."

 **Sarah:** "...We can finally enjoy life again, in the way every married couple should."

 **Rogan:** "We have so much more free time to look at the sunrise and sunset..."

 **Sarah:** "To savor the meals we eat..."

 **Rogan:** "To play with our grandkids and godchildren..."

 **Sarah:** "Aaaaannnnd to spend some quality time together."

 **Rogan** (chuckles) **:** "With one adult son and one 17-year-old daughter, we have all the private time we could ever ask for."

The two share another kiss.

 **Rogan:** "I love you, Sarah."

 **Sarah:** "I love you too, Rogan."

The older couple continues to smooch and hug, and show no signs of stopping even after 40 seconds of it, and then their bodies start emitting pheromones, which is Kale's cue to move out. Besides learning about the two's pasts, the only other useful information the wolf has gleaned is that old age doesn't put a stop to romance and passion in a marriage.

Before leaving, Kale looks at the making out couple one more time with envious eyes, and mumbles to himself, "I gotta find a girlfriend."

In order to do that, however, he must become a better wolf, so he finds the next scents to track and starts fulfilling his nickname.

* * *

Kale should have known that Lou and Penny are still together even during their free time. He also picks up Annette's and Ozzie's scents. The scent of tension or anxiety is in the warm 3:00 PM air, and Kale wants to find out why that is. As he gets closer, he picks up the four's voices.

 **Lou's voice:** "How much longer, Oz?"

 **Penny's voice:** "Yeah. I don't mean to sound impatient, but don't you think you've had plenty of time to decide your next move?"

 **Ozzie's voice:** "The cunning strategist never rushes, but takes his time. He takes all factors into account, waits for the opportune moment, and then strikes when his opponents least expect it."

Kale assumes the animals must be playing chess or checkers, but when he gets into view and sees what they are doing, it is quite the letdown. Annette takes the words right out of Kale's mind.

 **Annette's voice:** "But we're playing poker. There's not much strategy involved."

Kale nods in agreement, and then takes in the surroundings. The four are sitting at a card table and chairs under a low-hanging tree's thick branches that are so heavy they curve down to the ground and form a natural gazebo. They are playing poker with Lou and Penny on one team and Annette and Ozzie on the other team.

 **Ozzie** (to Annette) **:** "Oh, my dear friend, poker is a game of deception, and the most devious kind at that. It's just as much a matter of bluffing about your hand as it is in having a better hand than your opponents...Wait, did I say that out loud?"

 **Lou and Penny in unison:** "Pretty much."

 **Ozzie:** "Fie! In that case, hit me."

 **Note** **: "Fie" is Shakespearean English for "Oh no."**

Ozzie puts down a two of clubs and a Jack, then receives two new cards from the deck. Kale is currently 40 feet away and diagonally behind Penny and her mate. He can see that Penny has two pairs—eights and Queens—along with a useless five of diamonds card, and Lou has one pair of Aces. Rather than gambling chips, the prey are wagering cookies.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Interestin' that dee older ones have a sweet tooth..._ "

Annette had apparently already traded in her cards before Kale's arrival because Lou says, "Alright. Show what ya got!" shortly after Ozzie is done rearranging his hand.

 **Penny:** "Two pair!"

 **Lou:** "One pair of Aces."

 **Annette:** "Aw, bust."

 **Ozzie:** "Huzzah and callay, I have three of a kind!"

Ozzie holds up his cards to show three Kings. Lou and Penny groan as Ozzie triumphantly takes the cookies that were being wagered. He divides the pile and gives half to Annette.

 **Ozzie:** "For you, mi 'lady." (Takes her left paw and pecks a quick kiss on it)

 **Annette** (giggles) **:** "Thank you, fair sir." (Takes his Ozzie's right paw and kisses it)

The two take one cookie each and eat it simultaneously. Kale not only sees the quick kissing, but also catches the romantic tone that Ozzie and Annette had spoken to each other, and starts to wonder if maybe, just maybe they might be a couple now. It makes sense: both had lost their mates, both were single parents, both had older kids, both had roughly similar fur coats (that is, white and black on their bodies), and everyone in this prey animal family was alright with interspecies relations, no matter how twisted the latter is in Kale's opinion. True, Ozzie is about seven years older than Annette, but even the wolf accepts that age shouldn't matter for love.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Except if it's a 10 year age gap or more between an adult and teenager, den it's pedophilia._ "

There's nothing weird about Lou and Penny's relationship. In fact, Kale finds that couple the most normal of the whole group. They are two married porcupines (the same species) who are roughly the same age, and have three children of their own who, given what he's seen and heard from the animals, may have started out as rambunctious kids, but have grown into mature young adults. Everyone else in this family is an anomaly. RJ is married to an opossum and has hybrid twins in which the one who looks more like a possum acts like a raccoon, and the one who looks more like a raccoon acts more like a possum; Stella is married to a cat and has a hybrid daughter who's a tomboy; Verne and Velma, though their marriage isn't weird, have a nephew instead of their own children who is the rowdiest turtle of all time; Rick and Luby are great parents, but have two of the most ill-behaved kids Kale has ever seen; Simon, Celine, and their daughters are blind bats who still can't figure out where things exactly are despite their other heightened senses; Ozzie is a single dad with a daughter and now a porcupine lover; Annette is a single mom with three daughters who are great at video games; and Hammy—is a creature who defies all description.

 **Kale thinking:** " _It's no wonder dis family is composed'a so many misfits; they'd be expelled from any oth'a community of similar-species creatures._ "

Exiting his thoughts, the wolf looks back at those gathered around the card table and starts to move closer, using the trees to camouflage himself. Lou's starting hand for the next round is a pair of threes, a Jack, a two of diamonds, and a seven of hearts, and Penny's is currently a bust. Before Penny can let out a "Jeepers" at how poor their hands are, Lou, remembering the advice Ozzie inadvertently gave, talks.

 **Lou:** "Let's start the betting at three cookies."

He puts three cookies in the middle of the table next to the card deck, then turns his head to Penny and gives her a look out of his peripheral vision to show that he's intentionally bluffing. Penny's eyes widen as if she said "Ah..." in comprehension.

 **Annette:** "I see your three, and will raise it to five." (Adds two cookies)

 **Ozzie:** "I'll just add one." (Adds a cookie)

Kale is close enough to risk being seen by Ozzie and Annette, so he gets as low as he can while on the off-road skateboard and doesn't budge. Lou trades in his seven and two and comes out with third three and two Jacks. Penny keeps her King and six of clubs, and trades in her other cards and gets another six, a King, and an Ace. She looks at her mate's hand and feels confident enough to raise the stakes.

 **Penny:** "I'll add in two cookies." (Puts two in the pile)

Annette trades in three of her cards, and Ozzie only trades in one _without_ taking a long time to contemplate his move like before. That makes Penny and Lou nervous since it can either mean he has four of a kind or two pairs, which also means the card he just got from the deck could get him a full house that might be better than Lou's. Kale feels restless too, and now understands why he picked up the scent of anxiety among them.

 **Ozzie:** "Okay, what've you got?"

 **Lou:** "Full house!"

 **Penny:** "Two pair!"

 **Annette** (energetic) **:** "Two," (recalls Lou's full house and speaks in disappointment) "pair."

 **Ozzie** (sighs) **:** "Two pair."

There's no need to see if Annette's or Ozzie's hands are better than Penny's, because Lou's full house alone beats any two pairs.

 **Penny:** "Ha ha! Victory is ours!"

Lou high-fours his mate and then takes the cookie pile while Ozzie and Annette roll their eyes.

Kale thinks he has seen enough and has learned that the older members of the family have an average understanding of deception strategies, but nothing more. He starts to leave, but as with everyone else he has tried to walk away from early, he stops when Annette announces something interesting.

 **Annette:** "Last round, and I'm gonna bet it all!" (Puts all the cookies she and Ozzie have won on the table)

 **Ozzie:** "Really? I don't think that's wise."

 **Annette:** "I'm feeling lucky, and this'll be more fun!"

 **Lou:** "What the hey? Let's bet it all too, hon."

 **Penny:** "Jeepers, Lou, are you sure? We have more cookies than them, so why not just match their amount?"

 **Lou:** "Where's your sense of adventure, Penny? You haven't lost it over a silly card game, have you?"

Penny gives a lopsided toothless grin on the right side of her mouth and blushes at her hubby's words.

* * *

She remembers how much she and Lou used to be so outgoing before they had kids; all the places they explored, all the dangers they bested, and all the memories that will last forever. Until meeting RJ, Lou was the biggest He-Man guy she had ever known, always taking life by the horns and seizing the day without thinking of the consequences. Penny was like that at heart when younger, but preferred to think things through before doing them. However, when she started dating Lou, he helped her inner wild side emerge in the flesh, and she regretted nothing.

The two had to mature into responsible individuals when Penny became pregnant, and avoided doing anything that could harm their unborn sons. Moreover, both understood that if they were too feisty, then their kids might do foolish things that would get themselves hurt, or worse. This led to Lou and Penny mellowing down their adventurous natures. They had to go even further in doing that once they discovered how wild their triplets were, who apparently inherited their parents' wild sides and did crazy things despite not learning to do those from watching their parents. And although helping out with heists gives them the thrill of adventure they used to enjoy in their youth, Lou and Penny can't go back to their pre-children lives now that they are so used to being responsible parents. However, whenever they aren't around their kids, the couple still finds some ways to be more adventurous, even if it's as low-key as betting their whole stash of cookies in a poker game.

* * *

With Lou's question about losing her wild side still fresh, Penny gives her answer.

 **Penny:** "Of course not. Let's do it!"

She and Lou put all of their cookies in the middle of the table, which leaves only enough room on the card table for the players to collect their cards from the deck. Looking at how large the cookie pile is, Kale is astounded at the adults' love for sweets. Being a full-fledged carnivore, Kale can't eat cookies or he'll get sick, especially since he's a canine which makes it dangerous for him to eat chocolate. He never thought about it before, but now he finds himself envious of his inability to eat sweets. He has seen the effects of the stuff on the hedgies and wonders how much more he could do as a wolf with such an energy boost.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Nah. I don't need no sweets, I'm a wolf. I get my energy from eatin' critters like dem, which is natural and dat makes me betta dan them. Before sweets were invented, creatures worked hard ta build strength and get energy. Dat makes deese guys lazy and weak ta get artificial energy sources instead of natural energy sources._ "

Proud with his reasoning and with himself, Kale pays attention to the card game again. Penny has just traded in two cards and now has three of a kind. Wanting to have fun while she keeps her hand a secret from the opponents, she shows Lou and he nods nonchalantly to give his opponents the idea that Penny's hand is nothing special when it really is. Lou then trades in an eight of spades and nine of clubs and gets an eight of diamonds and a six of diamonds which gives him a great hand of a straight flush, with all diamonds in sequential order from six through ten.

Kale nods and musses, " _Dat'll be hard ta beat. Dose oth'a two need a lot of luck._ "

Annette trades in three cards, and Ozzie trades in two. When they show each other their hands, they look in the eyes and nod. Kale is leaning forward as far as he can to be on the edge of his seat, so to speak.

 **Lou:** "You two ready?"

 **Annette:** "You bet."

 **Ozzie** (dramatically) **:** "Yay, the moment of truth has arrived. The third act hath begun, and there is nay going back. We stand now at the climax of our story. It all cometh down to this moment...Who shall win, who shall lose?"

 **Lou:** "It won't be us, because I have a straight flush!"

 **Penny:** "And I have three of a kind!"

The two proudly display their cards together and watch as bewildered looks form on Annette's and Ozzie's faces.

 **Annette:** "This is bad..." (Looks at Ozzie) "I wasn't expecting this."

 **Ozzie** (nods at Annette) **:** "Tis the end. The curtain is going down, the time is nigh..." (Looks at Lou and Penny) "For your defeat!"

Ozzie turns his cards over and shows a ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of which are spades.

 **Ozzie:** "Lo and behold! A royal flush!

Annette turns her cards over and shows four twos.

 **Annette:** "And four of a kind!"

 **Penny** (while throwing down her cards in rage) **:** "Awwwww! Jeepers, ham and crackers!"

Lou buries his head in his hands while shaking side to side while yelling, "Ughhhhhhhh!"

Ozzie and Annette give high-fours with both paws, give a fist bump with their left paws, then a fist bump with their right paws, Ozzie turns around so that his back is facing Annette with his paws outstretched behind his back to which Annette gives him some down low. Ozzie then turns around and takes Annette's paw, holds it up high, twirls around once, and lets Annette to the same for him. Next, he kisses her lightly on the back of both paws and she does the same. Finally, they back up from the table, Ozzie taking Annette's left paw into his right one, and the two bow down like performers on a stage. Then they reach over to collect the mound of cookies.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Yep. Dose two're definitely a couple...Bletch!_ "

Lou and Penny have recovered from the shock of their loss and address the victors before them in good sportsmanship.

 **Penny:** "You had us fooled, that's for sure."

 **Lou:** "I should've caught onto you when you started giving us theater-talk, but I was so certain we'd win that I didn't bat an eye..."

 **Ozzie:** "Oh, Louis and Penelope, my old friends...there are more ways to deceive at poker than intentionally stalling."

 **Annette:** "I myself have learned a few theater tricks from Ozzie, too."

 **Penny:** "Well, you both won fair and square. You two make a great team."

 **Annette:** "Thanks."

 **Ozzie:** "And now to celebrate by feasting on the spoils of victory."

 **Annette:** "Sounds good to me."

Kale has to cover his muzzle with his right forepaw to stifle his giggling at seeing Ozzie and Annette nom-nomming down the cookies like lunatics. Lou and Penny get out of the way as crumbs start flying everywhere, but the victorious couple pays no mind to the mess they are making.

Kale is concentrating so much on trying to get ahold of himself that he doesn't notice Lou and Penny walking away from the area—in his direction. He hears Lou tell Penny how, "It's only a card game, and we can always get extra cookies for our own stash on the next raid," from six feet away and closing. Kale starts to panic and he doesn't know what to do if—more likely, _when_ —he gets caught.

 **Kale thinking** (frantically) **:** " _OhmyGah, OhmyGah, OhmyGah, OhmyGah! Wha'do I do?! They'll hear and see me dee instant I try ta move! If I stay still they'll see me and my skateboard, even with the trees providin' me camo! Wha'do I say ta get outta dis?! Dey won't take 'I'm just gettin' some exercise,' as an excuse 'cuz why would a kid like me wanna see adults like dem play poker!_ "

He glances back up at the porcupines and sees them three feet away and getting closer. They are still looking at each other while walking, but he knows they'll see him as soon as they look straight ahead. At this point, Kale accepts that he'll get caught and starts blaming himself for this mess.

 **Kale thinking** (frantically) **:** " _Dang it! Why did I have ta get so close to 'em?! I could'a stayed at a safe distance, but_ No-oh _, I wanted ta be a_ real _wolf and make things more_ challenging _! Ugh! I'm so bad at bein' a wolf, 'cept for tracking!_ "

Kale shuts his eyes, cringes his face, and prepares to face the music.

 **Ozzie:** "Hey, Lou and Penny?"

The porcupines stop moving and turn around, which causes Kale to slowly open his right eye to take a peek.

 **Penny:** "Yeah?"

 **Ozzie:** "Wanna come join us?"

 **Lou:** "You beat us, it's not a real game unless there's a winner and a loser."

 **Annette:** "But Ozzie and I are stuffed, and there's still so many cookies left. We can't eat them all, it's not good for our health."

 **Penny** (pulling on Lou's arm while jumping up in excitement) **:** "C'mon Lou!"

Kale feels like he's about to have a heart attack as he ponders, " _Please..._ Say _... Yes..._" in intense worry.

 **Lou:** "Well..."

 **Kale thinking** (panicking) **:** " _OhmyGah!OhmyGah!OhmyGah!_ "

 **Penny** (comedically snarky) **:** "You haven't lost _your_ sense of fun have you?"

 **Lou:** "Heh, are you kiddin'? Let's go pig out!"

 **Penny:** "Race ya!" (Runs off)

 **Lou:** "Hey, no fair! You had a head start!"

Lou rushes to catch up with Penny as the two quickly go back to the card table with the cookies. Kale was so stressed, and is now so thankful, that he experiences a head-rush when he exhales a sigh of relief. He doesn't dwell on that amazing feeling for too long, though, and starts making his way out of there. Ozzie and Annette stay at the card table so they will be able to help Lou and Penny pick it and the chairs up whenever the porcupine couple finishes chowing down. By then, Kale is a safe distance away from them and can reflect on how close he had been to getting caught. Despite Kale's lack of spirituality, he finds himself thanking every higher power he can think of for Ozzie's offer that made Lou and Penny go back. His wolf-conscience berates him for having such a come-apart, and tells him that the prey should have feared seeing him instead of the other way around, but Kale mutters "Shut up" to silence that part of his mind.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Besides, a true test 'a my skill as a wolf would be what I do when things_ don't _go as planned._ "

But he had been panicking and had decided to take the coward's way out by resigning himself to his fate, instead of thinking of a way out of it. That really hurts his self-confidence. Kale sighs when he thinks that his words about him being bad at being a wolf, and loathing about his only talent for tracking, which he had thought of while in a terrified state, are probably true after all. He can't keep blaming his injured legs, because all he needed to get out of being caught was his mind, and he didn't use that in the way a wolf should. Had it not been for Ozzie, Kale would have some serious explaining to do, and the hedgies would have assigned someone to keep an eye on him 24/7, which would limit his already slim chances of escape from their lifestyle encompassing over his.

Kale stops moving when he realizes the deeper meaning of Ozzie's words to Penny and Lou. He owes something to a prey animal yet again, when he should have been perfectly capable of working things out in a way that benefited himself and not the prey...Why are things so backwards for him here? His incompetence is understandable when he's around his pack who are superior to him (and most other wolves) in every way. But if he can't be an efficient wolf when around prey, he's more than a failure. He simply sucks at life.

Forget about shaming his parents for not talking to their spirits since their deaths, Eddie and Sharnese would be ashamed of Kale for being such a weak wolf, both physically and mentally.

Muddled down in this funk of depression and self-loathing, Kale feels like gagging. At this darkest hour, Kale receives help from the one source he has been trying to ignore.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Pull ya'self together! You's parents would be truly ashamed if you keep beatin' yourself up! So you's needed dat possum ta save ya neck dis time...get over it and move on! Good luck like dat doesn't last forever, so you gotta be ready next time. You gotta live the hard life of a wolf with pride, courage, certainty, and honor, but not mercy._ "

Satisfied with his wolf-conscience answer that repeated one of the mottos from the codes of wolf society, Kale snaps out of his brooding and remembers what he is here to do: practice his sneaking skills. He locates the next scent of one of the few remaining prey animals he hasn't observed and heads that way with a rejuvenated spirit.

* * *

Kale's nose picks up the unmistakable scent of sweat and exertion coming from Heather. He recalls when she told her son that she was going to be working out, but Kale, in spite of his 15 years' worth of spying on prey, has never seen any possum working out. He never figured them as the strength-building type, what with their reliance on playing dead to deal with most adversaries. He also wonders how an opossum would use his/her natural abilities to get exercise. He has already seen how a raccoon like Rebecca does that, but possums have different skeletal structures and locomotion patterns, so this should be as insightful as it is entertaining.

Kale arrives at a 15x30 foot green field that is only accessible by going through a tree line. Since his skateboard makes that impossible, Kale simply gets as close as he can to the tree line, again using the trees' bark to help his fur blend in. Heather is currently lifting an abducted four pound dumbbell with both paws while laying down on a flat stone which makes it look like a bench press. Since there are leaves and twigs all over the ground from behind the tree line, Kale has to time his progression so that he moves forward when Heather lets out a labored exhale, the latter sound thus masking the former. Because she weighs nine pounds, she is lifting about half of her own body weight, so she is heavily exhaling a lot, which makes Kale's approach a steady pace.

In addition to the lesson learned from his recent near foul-up, Kale remembers that since he is merely observing he needs to be at a distance that will enable a quick getaway in the event that Heather leaves before he is done spying and comes in his direction.

Heather heaves the dumbbell up one more time, bring it down and lays it to the side, and then catches her breath. When she gets up a minute later, Kale discovers that she is wearing a white sweatband with the blue horseshoe logo of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team around her forehead, but it doesn't get in the way of her bangs. The possum gets a five pound dumbbell, reaches into her pouch to pull out some duct tape, tapes her hind feet to the dumbbell, lays flat on her back on the grass, and starts doing leg presses. Kale isn't surprised with the increase of weight because every creature with legs has stronger hind limbs than forelimbs, so it makes perfect sense why Heather would choose that. She does twenty presses, then removes the duct tape and gets up to stretch her arms and legs. When she's finished with that, she drinks water from a 10-ounce bottle near the rock she used as a bench press.

 **Heather:** "Oh yeah...Awesome...Feelin' the burn..."

She puts the water down, walks over to a small pile of rocks, and picks up two that are as thick as her snout is long, and starts doing bicep curls starting with her right arm and then the left one.

Kale guesses that the reason Heather is exercising is to get into shape so she will be able to lift heavier things during heists. That's partially why, but it's not the full reason. Little does he know that Heather is doing this because she is hoping to extend her life expectancy, under the impression that a fit body lasts longer than an unfit one. Like all possums, she is aware that her species has oddly low lifespans; the rapid aging process owing itself to how few defenses they have against predators, which contributes to the high amount of joeys they typically birth. Both reasons offer little biological incentive to enable a longer life cycle. She most likely birthed only two children, instead of at least 13, because some of RJ's dominant raccoon DNA had overtaken some of Heather's recessive opossum DNA in her womb.

Bottom line: Heather wants to spend as much time on Earth as possible with RJ, her children, and everyone she knows. Being a raccoon, RJ will outlive her by a decade or two, and she wants to limit the time he will be alone without a mate, and her kids alone without a mother. She uses that determination to push herself harder as she keeps working out.

She first realized how out of shape she was three years ago when Rebecca had led a gymnastics session that the whole family participated in. Everyone except Rebecca (who was used to gymnastics) and Hammy (who has virtually limitless energy) was sore for five days. Heather had thought herself very fit before then, but that day made her realize there is always room for improvement, and that heists alone aren't enough exercise to be fit and healthy. Therefore, she began to steal workout items from humans during raids and improvised some of her own (as with the rocks) so that she could use them to work out in her alone time.

Kale still has no knowledge of this, but he is impressed at how Heather has lifted the rocks in each paw 25 times and is still going. The wolf has learned that this possum will pack a heavy punch if push comes to shove, but he doesn't want to leave yet because he thinks she isn't done just yet.

As Heather continues, she starts counting out loud as she heaves her breath heavier and heavier. Her arms start to slow down as they are reaching their limit, but she doesn't let up.

 **Heather** (panting) **:** "35...35...36...36..." (Strained voice) "Thirty...seven...Thirty...seven...Thirty-eight...Thirty...eight..." (Gasp-inhale) "Thirty...nine! Thirty...nine!... _Four—ty_... _ **Four—ty!**_ "

She lets go of the rocks, pants, pulls out a rag from her pouch, wipes the sweat off her body with it, sits Indian style on the ground, and lets her arms hang down like spaghetti noodles. Thirty seconds later she has the strength to start rubbing her arms as a way to soothe "the burn" in them.

 **Heather:** "Forty reps...that's, like, five more than last time. Excellent job..." (Thinking) " _What should I do next? I've done cardio by running 15 laps around the greenfield on my hind legs then on all fours...Took 45 minutes to recover from that...Did a bench press, leg press, and bicep curls...Ah! I haven't done any core or tail exercises yet. I gotta have a strong tail, that's the strongest part of my body. And I know just how to do that while also working on my abs._ "

Kale is on high alert when Heather starts walking into the tree line, coming toward his direction. He isn't as close to her as he had been to the card players, but he also can't move because the skateboard would make noise on the foliage that Heather's heavy breathing had drowned out during his approach. He is behind a wide tree and had been peeking out from behind it, so the only way the possum can see him is if she walks past the tree and looks to the side. Thankfully, she starts climbing up the first tree boarding the green field. She finds a sturdy branch, walks out on it, wraps her tail around it, then lowers herself so that she is hanging upside down. She crosses her arms over her chest in an X, and starts lifting her upper body upward to do abdominal crunches.

Kale nods as his question of how a possum would use its natural abilities to work out has been answered. He had also nodded in appreciation because in a way, Heather's workout reminds him of his own training that he undertook with his brothers, and then Bone-Chomper Pack, to improve his speed, strength, wits, and ferocity. He didn't need any training to improve his sense of smell, and he caught on quickly when improving his hearing, taste, touch, and sight. Finally, he has been doing well at improving his stealth today. He hasn't been as stealthy as he wants to because of the skateboard, but he really shouldn't be too hard on himself. In fact, he has been stealthier than most wolves because he has been sneaking around while on a skateboard, which severely limits his mobility and speed, as well as making more noise when he moves.

 **Kale thinking:** " _If I can be dis stealthy on a skateboard, imagine how stealthy I'll be once I can use all four legs!_ "

That really boosts his confidence—which is in danger of disappearing when reality shows its ugly self to him in his mind yet again. In the Bone-Chomper Pack all of the previously-mentioned skills must always get better, period. If they stay at the same level or get worse, he'll be kicked out of the Bone-Chompers and have to find another pack.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Ah, enough'a dat! Take ya's victories when ya can._ "

Following his own advice, it feels very good to bask in the glory of the moment at how his sneaking skills have been doubled because he has been on an off-road skateboard. Kale knows that why he keeps finding a negative loophole in every success is because of his spending so many years being a wolf. Every action he does and every word he says has been criticized for 15 years. Thus has his wolf-conscience developed in his mind, like a cartoon shoulder devil that is always wrestling with his kid-conscience as his shoulder angel. He has tried to eradicate the latter conscience, telling himself that it is only holding him back and is preventing him from becoming a true wolf like his pack members. But for some reason that task has been impossible, and he can't let his prey animals enemies find that out...and especially can't let this allies find out. Does that mean he is defective? None of his other pack members have displayed a fun-loving attitude. They have fun, but it's fun at being a wolf, not genuine fun like Kale experienced while playing the racing video game.

Kale quietly groans at how the negative thoughts have driven out his positive thoughts again. Although he is free from his pack's scrutiny, not even his thoughts are free from the codes of wolf society that have been imbedded into his mind since birth.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Shut up, shut up,_ shut up _, SHUT—UP!_ "

He is so angry that he almost yells out loud at his wolf-mind to shut up. The only thing that stops him is when someone else yells, "I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!"

 **Second voice:** "So am I!"

 **Third voice:** "Me three!"

The voices come from above and to Kale's right, so he turns his head accordingly and sees Marilyn, Christine, and Claire flying. The bat siblings are zigging and zagging around trees and above or below the branches like a trio of stunt airplanes.

 **Christine:** "I can feel it! We'll finally get it right this time! No more bumping into trees!"

 **Claire:** "We're gonna navigate through the forest as good as birds, forever!"

Marilyn appreciates her sisters' motivation, but being the oldest she is more level-headed and says, "Quiet girls, we need to use all of our senses to detect when trees are in the way."

She just _has_ to say that, because just as the three open back up their hearing and smell, they pick up something they didn't expect.

 **Marilyn:** "Is that?"

 **Claire:** "Aunt Heather's?"

 **Christine:** "Scent?"

Their senses distracted, they lose their bearings, which leads to trying to reacquire their sense of direction—when they are two feet away from a tree trunk. At the speed they are going, they won't be able to get out of the way in time. Knowing this, Marilyn gulps.

 **Marilyn** (in dread) **:** "Prepare for impact!"

Marilyn flies into the tree with an "Uh!", Christine flies into her back with an "Oof!", and Claire flies into Christine's back with an "Ow!" The three start falling down and Heather, who has already pulled herself up to the branch she was using for abdominal crunches after hearing the girls mention her name, feels worried for the sisters who are falling from 70 feet. Even if she was fast enough to get to the ground, Heather won't be able to get over to the tree that the bats are falling from, and she fears for their lives. Fortunately, the bats have flown into so many trees of all heights in the past that they know how to perfectly avoid a fall to their doom. While falling they do a back flip in midair to reorient themselves, spread their wings, glide in different directions so that no one is in anyone's way, close their wings, and then open them again like parachutes when they're five feet from the ground. They descend slowly and easily, and touch the ground with their feet with grace.

 **Christine:** "Gosh darn it! We were so close!"

 **Marilyn:** "At least we did better than we have before."

 **Claire:** "But if it wasn't for Aunt Heather's scent..."

 **Heather:** "Girls, are you okay?"

The bats' ears perk up and they turn their heads to where the possum is in the tree 20 feet away and 15 feet high from them.

 **Claire:** "Yes, Aunt Heather, we're good. Oh, I'm sorry for blaming you."

 **Heather:** "It's okay."

She pauses to see if the bats have anything else they want to say, then speaks up when they don't.

 **Heather:** "Y'all were doing pretty good, weren't you?"

 **Christine** (puffs up her chest and speak in pride) **:** "We sure were!"

 **Claire:** "With a bit more practice, we'll finally get it right."

 **Heather** (nods) **:** "Practice makes perfect."

 **Marilyn:** "But no one's perfect. I'm sure we'll make _some_ mistakes in the future, but we won't run into nearly as many trees as we normally do."

 **Christine** (sighs) **:** "Way to kill the buzz, Marilyn."

 **Claire:** "Yeah, ya party pooper!"

 **Marilyn:** "I'm just being realistic. You know deep down that I'm right! And I can't be a party pooper unless there's a party going on, so nyah-nyah!" (Sticks her tongue out, but is facing nothing instead of Claire's face)

 **Heather** (chuckles) **:** "By the way, where are your parents? I thought they'd be the ones teaching you."

 **Christine:** "They're talking with their friends, Mr. Bart and Mrs. Carrie. Those two are expecting bat pups."

 **Heather:** "Really? That's great!"

 **Marilyn:** "Yeah, mom and dad are giving those two some parenting tips."

 **Claire:** "Since they knew we'd get bored with that, they let us practice our flying."

 **Heather:** "Then get back to it. I'm almost done working out here and will head back home after that."

 **Marilyn** (salutes Heather) **:** "Affirmative. Enjoy your workout, Aunt Heather."

 **Heather:** "And enjoy your flight training, girls."

 **Marilyn, Christine, and Claire in unison:** "We will."

Kale watches the bats move into the green field where there aren't any trees to get in their way, and then the three take off toward the tree line at the opposite end. He then moves away from the area when Heather starts breathing heavily as she continues her ab crunches. Kale commends the bat triplets' desire to get better at not running into trees, which can help them escape when in a dire situation. But most bats are too high to get within attack range of wolves, so Kale doesn't think the "intel" he has gathered on the flying rodents will be of much help for him in the future.

 **Kale thinking:** " _But ya nev'a know..._ "

The three have also given him two new targets to locate: Simon and Celine. Kale heads for their direction once he has their scent.

* * *

Kale tracks the bat couple to the entrance of a cave. The scents of many other bats are also coming from there, meaning the place is a community roost for bat families. Normally, it would be hard for any wolf to locate the specific scent of two particular bats, but Kale's nose is his best asset and has never failed him. He does have to fine tune his hearing so that he can pick out what Simon and Celine will be saying among the other bat voices, but there aren't as many of them as he thought since most are asleep. But because bats have a great sense of smell and hearing, Kale keeps his distance from the cave so as to not spook them and cause a maelstrom of angry bats to swarm around him like bees.

 **Bart's voice:** "But how will we be able to form a bond with our pups if they won't be able to see our faces?"

 **Carrie's voice** (concerned tone) **:** "I mean, our kids will never know what we look like..." (Depressed tone) " _We'll_ never know what _they_ look like..."

 **Simon's voice:** "But they _will_ know who you are, and _will_ have a bond with you by knowing your voices, the words you speak, and your scent."

 **Celine's voice:** "Most importantly, they will know your hearts."

Kale uses his sense to their fullest abilities and can tell that Celine uses her wing-fingers to touch where Carrie's heart is.

 **Celine's voice:** "This is where your bond will shine the most above your touch, voices, scent, and words."

 **Simon's voice:** "Just be careful when they're around vampire bats. They tend to bully any bat that doesn't drink blood."

 **Vampire bat's voice:** "Whad'chu say about my species?!"

 **Celine's voice** (coyly to Simon) **:** "Simon!"

 **Simon's voice** (embarrassed) **:** "Oops, forgot that we're not the only bats here."

 **Vampire bat's voice:** "Where are ya?! Come and say that to my face, ya punk!"

 **Several bat's voices:** "Shhhhhhhh! We're trying to sleep here."

 **Vampire bat's voice:** "Humph! You're lucky, vampire-bat-hater. Otherwise, I'd give you a piece of my mind...and claws, and fangs."

Once the commotion dies down, Kale uses his senses to their fullest abilities to sense Bart leaning close to Simon's ear.

 **Bart's voice** (whispering) **:** "I see what you mean. I'll be sure to do that."

 **Simon's voice:** "I swear, vampire bats are just like wolves."

 **Kale thinking:** "What _was dat?!_ "

 **Simon's voice:** "Easy to anger and resorting to violence rather than talking things through."

 **Carrie's voice:** "How would you know that, Simon?"

 **Kale thinking:** " _If he spills the beans about me, it'll be 'nightfall' for 'him—permanently! But I'll get 'im when he's back at da log, not here where he can have some bat backup._ "

 **Simon's voice:** "Well, in my travels I have overheard wolves as they hunted below me. I was so grateful to have wings, and so scared for the poor animals they were hunting."

 **Kale thinking:** " _So far, you bought ya'self time._ "

 **Celine's voice:** "That's how we met. We were flying around, minding our own business, and lost in our own little words that we literally ran into each other. We hit so hard that we dropped our sunglasses and retractable canes, and began frantically looking for them."

 **Simon's voice:** "We ended up with the other's things and then traded. Once we were done apologizing, we started to ask about ourselves and got to know each other."

 **Celine's voice:** "We had lost both of our parents, mine to white nose syndrome and his to an owl..." (Sighs in sorrow) "My parents forced me and my siblings to leave them because they didn't want us to contract the disease too. It was the saddest thing that has ever happened to me...I was living with my brothers and sister at the time when I met Simon."

 **Simon's voice:** "I didn't have any siblings, so my parents' deaths hit me very hard. But when I met Celine, she offered me a place to stay, and our relationship grew until we decided to marry. We left her siblings' roost to start a life of our own, and eventually ended up here."

 **Kale thinking:** " _Glad ta see the topic has changed. You's two saved ya's own necks._ "

 **Carrie's voice:** "Well, we plan to stay here too and raise our family. I bet you'll become like an Aunt and Uncle to our kids!"

 **Celine's voice:** "We'll do our best. We're already the aunt and uncle for many of our friend-family."

 **Bart's voice:** "Yeah that reminds me, how do you live with so many different animals?"

 **Simon's voice:** "It's not all that different from living with a family of your own kind. They gave my family and me fruit when we used to live near the El Rancho Camelot Estates, and then after a few years we found it more convenient to live with them. Our three girls wanted to make new friends, most of the bats they knew back then had moved when humans cleared out the forest, and my mate and I thought it would be best to live with the only friends we had in that area."

 **Carrie's voice:** "But don't things get complicated and hectic with all the families within the larger family?"

 **Celine's voice:** "I mean, it can get annoying trying to sleep when everyone else is up during the day, and we can only heist from humans at night. We just love each other so much that we don't mind, because we truly become family. But thanks to bats like you, we can still interact with members of our own species."

 **Carrie's voice:** "Awww! You're so kind."

 **Bart's voice:** "We're lucky to have you as friends."

 **Simon's voice:** "So are we."

 **Bart's voice:** "Anyway, wanna hear how we met?"

 **Celine's voice:** "Absolutely!"

Not wanting to hear another lovey-dovey story, Kale thinks it's time for him to go. He has learned that Simon and Celine (mostly Simon) harbor some ill feelings toward vampire bats, and had to be separated from their parents as well. Simon lost his parents to a superior predator, just like Kale did, which makes Kale view Simon as the second hedgie he can most relate to, behind RJ of course. But unlike the bats Kale has had to meet his prey face-to-face, he can't sit in safety like a coward, and is now grateful that he can't fly because it might make him too lazy.

Feeling better about his wolf heritage, Kale walks away with a smile on his face. He has one more prey animal to observe: Hammy. He already knows that the porcupines like playing video games, and can't risk getting seen by other prey animals in the playground area. But he thinks that things have been getting slower and more boring ever since leaving Plushie. He doubts Hammy will be doing anything besides running around too fast for him to see what he's doing, but Kale will do his best to track down the hyperactive squirrel's scent.

And little does Kale know that the last observation will be the most interesting of all, just in a different way than he imagines.

* * *

It's 5:00 PM and Kale's first clue that things with Hammy won't go as he expected is the fact that the squirrel's scent isn't changing directions constantly. He is in motion, but whatever he is doing, he is not running super-fast. He is actually walking at a regular pace. Still, Kale has to be the most careful around Hammy, because the red squirrel's speed can find the wolf's hiding spot in no time if Hammy becomes suspicious.

The second clue that the observation won't go as intended is the scent of something or someone else next to Hammy. It's not any of the other hedgies, so it's anyone's guess as to who or what it is. But Kale intends to find out exactly who or what it is, because a wolf can't settle for guesses.

Kale arrives at a small grove with a pond as large as a puddle (it could be a raccoon-sized bathtub for one), and some rocks that small mammals could use to sit down on. The wolf sniffs the air again and discovers that the third clue as to how this observation will be different than expected is because Kale has arrived at the destination before his quarry. Judging from the scents, Hammy and the one he is with are three minutes away, so Kale backtracks until he finds a bush that has been struck by lightning, leaving the plant in half like a chainsaw had cut it. It is clear enough for Kale to move in while on the skateboard, and the part of the bush that is untouched will provide him cover as well as a perfect view of the grove.

Three minutes later, Hammy emerges from the thicket of trees on the other side of the grove (away from Kale) with a big smile on his face.

 **Hammy:** "This spot's perfect! C'mon!"

Hammy extends his paw and out emerges—

 **Kale thinking** (with wide eyes and gaping his jaw open in shock) **:** " _Madre de Dios...That's..._ not... _possiblllllllle...!_ "

—A female American red squirrel, who promptly kisses Hammy on the cheek. She has brown eyes, red fur-freckles on the white of her cheeks, and her fur coat looks exactly like Hammy's with the exception of a curlier tail and no dark red stripe down her back.

 **Female red squirrel:** "Mm-hm. This place is perfect. It's where you saved my life."

 **Hammy:** "It's mainly where I keep my reserved store of nuts, but your answer is good too, Scarlet."

As Scarlet speaks, her voice, like her hairstyle, has an uncanny resemblance to a similar-named human movie actress who, in recent years, has been famous for her superhero movie character named after a deadly arachnid.

 **Scarlet:** "How did you find it, Hammy?"

 **Kale thinking:** " _Cómo demonios...does_ he _of all creatures have a_ **girlfriend** _ **?!**_ "

 **Note** **: In Spanish, "Madre de dios" means "Mother of God," and "Cómo demonios" (sometimes "C** **ómo diablos")** **means "How in the heck."**

 **Hammy:** "Oh, well it's a long story, Scarlet, but basically..." (Takes in a long inhale of breath and speaks fast without pausing) "I was trying to find a new place to hide my nuts, somewhere that would be far away enough from my main storage place, but close enough to where it would be an easy run for me to get to. I went from one place to another, some were already claimed by other animals, and others were too big or too small to suit my needs. I was about to give up all hope and call it quits when a bee bumped into me. Because it's the law, or at least my law, that doing that means you're It, I started chasing him to play tag. I followed the bee here and then it flew too high for me to reach. I was disappointed, but then looked at my surroundings and saw that I had found the perfect place to hide my backup store of nuts! I wish I could thank the bee, but it was already long gone."

 **Scarlet** (giggles) **:** "At least every long story ends quickly when you're telling it, Hammy. By the way, how did it feel to walk normally?"

Kale hears every word that has been spoken, but is still trying to grasp the revelation he discovered when the two emerged.

 **Kale thinking** (shaking his head side to side in disbelief) **:** " _Dis can't be real...Dis can't be real...Dis can't be real!_ "

 **Hammy:** "It was SO hard! But it was different, and I like trying different things!"

 **Scarlet:** "That's why I fell in love with you...I've never met anyone like you. You're different from everyone I've ever known. You're so cute and funny."

 **Hammy:** "Double for you, double for you!"

 **Scarlet:** "And you're so full of life."

 **Hammy:** "Don't forget sugar, blood, internal organs, bones, and muscles!"

Scarlet lets out a laugh that sounds so pleasant that it actually calms Kale's nerves to the point where he finally overcomes his shocked stupor and can listen with a clear head.

 **Scarlet:** "You really helped turn my life around Hammy. Before we met...three years ago..."

 **Hammy** (nods yes) **:** "Ya-huh!"

 **Scarlet** : "I had run away from home because my parents were forcing me to marry someone I wasn't in love with. They were some of the wealthiest, most prestigious red squirrels ever, and I gave up all the food and territory I had just like that...I was so lost...so afraid of living life without my parents..."

 **Hammy** (nods yes) **:** "Ya-huh!"

 **Scarlet:** "That I had to dirty myself up and to look like a vagabond so that creatures would offer me food. But no one did that because they saw the truth, that I was just a schemer wanting to take advantage of them. I would have died of starvation if you hadn't given me the whole box of chocolate cookies you were carrying."

 **Hammy:** "Chocolate _chip_ cookies! My favorite!"

 **Scarlet:** "Just the simple fact that you saw me as a person instead of a mooching hobo, that you offered to give what you had to a complete stranger without question...That made me realize you were special."

 **Hammy** (love-struck tone) **:** "Duh-huh-huh! Everyone's special in their own way!"

Scarlet kisses Hammy on the cheek, and Kale can just hear the _Sproing!_ sound effect as Hammy blushes and smiles big while his pupils turn into the shape of hearts.

 **Scarlet:** "Now that I have your full attention...You struck me not as the gullibly generous type, but the genuinely generous type; a modern Good Samaritan. You even led me here so I could eat your reserve nut stores."

 **Hammy** (slowly moving his upper body in a circle as he is still under the after-effects of his girlfriend's mystifying kiss) **:** "Ya...huh..."

Scarlet smiles at Hammy's continued use of the phrase "Ya-huh." She knows that he's not interrupting her, it's just his way of showing that he is making a genuine effort to listen to her sincerely. By showing that he is following along with her it lets her know she can continue, and that he will listen to the best of his ability.

 **Scarlet:** "You're always so happy, so optimistic, and so good-natured, that I began to see that there was a lighter side of life that was possible without wealth, prestige, or possessions. A life with other creatures who truly cared, even for strangers."

 **Hammy** (nods yes) **:** "Ya-huh! My parents taught me to be kind to the unkind, because they deserve it most."

 **Scarlet:** "A bit off the mark because I was always kind to you, but I know you're trying. Anyway, you also let me live here until I was fully nursed back to health."

 **Hammy:** "Ya-huh! But how come you didn't wanna stay with my family? They would've accepted you. We accept all creatures, even a wo—"

Kale feels his stomach sink down the pit in his gut. He should have known that Hammy, of all the prey animals, couldn't be trusted to keep the wolf's stay a secret. Heck, the squirrel has probably been blabbing on about it to everyone he's seen.

 **Kale thinking:** " _But den again, if dat were the case, somthin' would've gone down by now. So maybe dis is his first slip-up._ "

 **Scarlet:** "A what?"

 **Hammy:** "A...Um...What was it, what was it? Ah, buh...Oh, even a wombat."

Kale relaxes. And although he thinks he's giving the squirrel too much credit, the wolf silently commends Hammy being smart enough to know how to use his lack of intelligence to hide his lie, making it appear that his mind had trailed off instead.

 **Scarlet:** "Aren't those only found in Australia?"

 **Hammy:** "It was a zoo escapee."

 **Scarlet:** "Oh, I see. But the reason I didn't move in with your family was because I wanted to stay under the radar in case my parents and arranged mate ever came looking for me. If they found me and smelt your family's scents on me, then you and your loved ones would have been in big trouble. I didn't want anyone to see me, except you because you touched my heart with your kindness.

"We were friends ever since I recovered, but every time you went back to your family I missed you as if you had been gone for a week. I felt so empty without you. I missed your smile, your voice, your positive outlook. I wanted to hold your paws, hug you, and even kiss you. I like to cuddle too, it's one of my weirder habits."

 **Hammy:** "My parents also taught me what makes you weird is what makes you most unique!"

 **Scarlet:** "I really wish I could've met them, they sounded like the best parents in the whole wide world."

 **Hammy:** "They were! Oh! And speaking of cuddling, one of my many habits is that I like to hug!"

 **Scarlet:** "Which is why I was so happy with how comfortable you were with our intimate contact. You're better at cuddling than me because you're so fast."

 **Hammy** (nods yes) **:** "Ya-huh!"

 **Scarlet:** "And ever since the day you gave me a cookie that you had shaped into a heart, that's when we became official boyfriend and girlfriend. That reminds me, how did you fall in love with me?"

 **Hammy:** "Oh, well ummmmm...Gee, I wasn't excepting a question like this..."

 **Scarlet** (smiles) **:** "It's okay, take your time."

Hammy puts his fingers to his chin, looks up, and rapidly taps his foot as he thinks things over, which isn't an easy task. A minute later, he thinks he's come up with a good answer.

 **Hammy:** "Well, you're pretty, you're patient with me, and you taught me the importance of slowing down to enjoy things instead of speeding through them. Since meeting you, whenever my mind wandered I often thought about you. Heh-heh, my focus on you almost got me into trouble while on heists because I couldn't focus on doing my job. My family talked with me to see what was going on, and I told them about you. Many laughed because they couldn't believe I had a crush on someone, but then they asked if I truly felt that you were the one for me."

 **Scarlet:** "And why did you say yes?"

 **Hammy:** "I-I, uh...I..." (Frustrated at his inability to think of an answer) "Aww, sassafras!"

Hammy looks down at his left paw to find Scarlet's holding it tenderly with her right one. He looks up and sees an understanding look in her eyes, which is emphasized by her light rubbing of his paw that she is still holding. Hammy blushes and almost tells her to stop because she's distracting him. That's when he realizes the answer he is looking for isn't in his mind, but in hers. He must feel it instead of think about it, like he normally does. Once he feels their connection, he knows why he wanted her as a girlfriend.

 **Hammy:** "Because I just felt like we have a spark...something that gives me energy besides my power line accident and sugar. I've never felt this kind of feeling for anyone before. It's like the love my family and I feel for each other, only deeper. I felt like I could never find someone who could love me as a boyfriend, and I was having so much fun with life that I thought I had everything I needed to be happy. But the more I saw you, the more I felt that special spark. I can't just live for fun, food, or my own family, I needed more. Practically everyone in my family is in love, married, or has kids, and they had a special kind of happiness that I didn't. My parents always said I need to live life to the fullest, and ever since I started getting feelings for you, I realized I wasn't living a full life. I've seen how happy my family members are with raising kids, just like I remember how happy my parents were with raising me and my siblings. I wanted to know what that kind of happiness feels like. And I think I can feel it best with you."

Scarlet leans forward with her lips puckered and, as expected, Hammy makes contact first. The two close eyes and get lost in their romance with Hammy stroking the back of Scarlet's head while she strokes his chest. Kale decides to accept the truth, as strange as it is: Hammy and Scarlet are truly in love with each other and will probably end up becoming mates. He now waits for the two to finish, only, they continue their kiss. They breathe through the nostrils, but their lips remain locked. Kale estimates that a full minute has passed since they started, and there's still no end in sight to the couple's kissing.

Kale passes the time by entering his thoughts. He feels pity for Scarlet and what she's getting herself into with being the girlfriend and potential mate of Hammy, but she seems to be aware of the downsides, so that's good. And seeing Hammy and Scarlet like this actually fills the wolf with a sense of hope for his own love life. If someone like Hammy can find true love, certainly the wolf can. But as before, Kale owes it to prey animals for giving him this confidence, but he doesn't have to let anyone else know.

Looking at the squirrels more enviously than he had with Rogan and Sarah—because let's face it, it's Hammy who has found love—Kale muses with greater emphasis, " _Oh hombre...I_ really _gotta get a girlfriend._ "

 **Note : "Oh hombre" means "Oh man" in Spanish.**

He will be one step closer to that if he keeps himself hidden like a real wolf as he waits for the two to either leave or start talking again so he can go away himself.

The squirrels end up kissing for two minutes, and once finished all the seriousness in Hammy is gone and is replaced by his usual zaniness.

 **Hammy:** "What do you wanna do for the rest of the day? How about a tickle war!"

 **Scarlet:** "You're on! But no super speed, because that would be unfair."

 **Hammy** (salutes) **:** "Yes, oh captain my captain!"

Scarlet giggles which makes her realize she's already starting to lose the match. That makes her laugh all the more loudly.

 **Hammy:** "I haven't even started yet."

 **Scarlet:** "O-o-okay. Just gimme a moment to pull myself together."

Once she calms and the two start by tickling their lover's ears, Kale sneaks away by using the laughter as cover. He keeps his mind focused on sneaking away and then takes the time to reflect upon his long day once he's out of earshot of the two squirrels. With the exception of the teenage porcupines who he couldn't risk seeing at the playground neutral zone, Kale has successfully spied on all of the hedgies, and has learned what they like doing in their free time. He has made many inferences about them too, and has discovered just what kind of people they really are. He may have gotten distracted when he thought of his parents, but had put those thoughts away and remembered to keep his eyes and mind set on what was important. Moreover, he feels he can truly trust them, each one of them, to keep his staying with them a secret. Some almost let it slip, but quickly and cleverly diverted the topic to something else. So the deal he made with them is just as important to them as it is to him.

Most of all, Kale feels so proud of himself for being stealthy like a true wolf. What's better is that he can later talk about this activity with his pack to boost his image, unlike when he and the prey tricked the pack with a fake-out performance which he can't reveal for obvious reasons. When he rejoins his pack, he will be able to use all four legs and spy on prey animals not only as an observer, but as someone who knows them from the inside. He'll need to redeem himself in another coming-of-age hunt, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem given what he's learning about the world and himself while staying with the prey family.

* * *

When Kale returns to the log just as the sky becomes fully black with night, he sees everyone has returned to the log and are either preparing for dinner, or debating about something that seems to have them worried. Verne sees Kale first and wastes no time.

 **Verne:** "There you are. We were about to send out a search party to look for you. Where have you been, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "Are you's always dis paternal? Not even my own parents were dis worried about me whenev'a I went out on my own. Dey knew I could take care of myself, and I'd appreciate it if you's could do the same."

 **Verne:** "I do. I-it's just my nature to be fatherly. And you still haven't answered my question."

 **Kale:** "Relax, Verne. I was just gettin' some fresh air and exercise, along with takin' in da view of some new scenery. Ya can't expect me ta remain in dis area for my entire stay with ya's. Wolves ain't meant ta be cooped up in one place, ya'know."

 **Velma:** "That's how all animals are, but what if someone saw you in the, um, current state you're in?" (Points at the skateboard)

 **Lou:** "Yeah. Another predator would have attacked you because you look so...Well, y'know."

Kale appreciates the porcupine's effort not to say anything that angers him because it's their way of unintentionally reminding him that he is still a predator, and therefore above them. Even so, Lou's words make everyone else present start to tense.

 **Kale:** "No one saw me, predator or prey, not even birds. I made sure'a dat."

The hedgies relax, and Kale, being a wolf, can't help but emphasize how things are much harder for him than they are for them.

 **Kale:** "I got far more ta lose from bein' discovered dan you's, so of course I had ta be careful."

 **Roger:** "But how'd you do it, remain hidden I mean?"

 **Ty:** "Yeah, you'd make lots of noise traveling on dried leaves and sticks."

 **Heather:** "And it would be kinda hard to hide while on that thing." (Points at the skateboard)

 **Kale** (in self-aggrandizing pride) **:** "Heh! Wha'da'ya expect? I'm a wolf. I can be so stealthy dat I become practically invisible, even while onna cumbersome skateboard."

Kale likes the look of annoyance that many are giving him for his tone more so that the wide-eyes made in amazement or fear of his abilities. He didn't tell them the full story of what he was doing, but the answer he's given is basically true. To prevent any questions of the contrary, Kale quickly adds, "Anyway, what's for dinner? I'm starvin'."

* * *

The others are more than happy that the topic is changed, and hand Kale his meat that he eats alone while the animals sit around each other in a circle. A few minutes into dinner, RJ stands up and faces toward the wolf's direction.

 **RJ:** "You wanna come join us, Kale?"

Everyone turns to him in surprise, making the raccoon feel awkward and rather foolish for making the offer. It suddenly dawns on him that no prey animal in their right mind would want to be around a wolf that is eating, and Kale seems equally as passionate about this.

 **Kale:** "As dey say in the language of my great-grandparents who came from Mexico: No."

 **Luby:** "Yeah, RJ, what were you thinking?"

 **RJ** (embarrassed) **:** "Just trying to be nice. I thought you'd all appreciate it, but I know...Too soon."

 **Penny:** "More like not now, not ever. And let's just leave it at that."

Kale likes that the boundaries that set him apart from the others are still standing strong. It's what lets him know that the hedgies also accept the fact that Kale will return to his pack and be their enemy again once he has fully healed. Until that time, Kale and the hedgies take comfort in the present that their deal is working out for the better. Everything seems to be going well. Not another soul knows that there is an injured wolf who is being taken care of by the very prey animals he had intended to eat, and both the predator and prey have been taking great measures to ensure that's how things will remain.

However, as the family and wolf turns in for the night, they forget that wolves like the Bone-Chomper Pack are primarily nocturnal creatures...And so are many species of prey animals.

On the other side of the forest, the word of something most unusual starts to spread among such animals. Reaction to it is first aghast, then confusion, and finally outrage. The situation is so vital and so blasphemous that nocturnal prey animals wake up diurnal ones, all forming a crowd that increases in number the closer to the log they get.

Soon it will be made known that, ironically, Kale and his caretakers have a lot more to fear from fellow prey animals who got wind of their interactions with the wolf instead of predators, for even enough prey can overwhelm the mightiest of predators.

A storm was coming, one that would forever change the relationship between Kale and the hedgies.

* * *

 **I was able to post this chapter so soon after Chapter 6 because I have been on a roll while writing it. However, I have other matters that I must get started on in my life, so it may be a while before I can work on some stories. But I hope you have been enjoying things so far, and promise you that they will only get better!**

 **So long for now!**


	8. The Woes of Wolves

**Hello readers! I know that I said it would be a while before I could update, but it turns out that I had to wait for something to get to me** _ **before**_ **I could take care of more important matters going on in my life. During that wait-time, I was able to update! So I'm just as surprised as all of you that I could post another chapter. And here it is:**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: The Woes of Wolves**

Noise from afar enters Kale's ears, forcing him up from his slumber. He tries to ignore it at first, thinking it will move away on its own, but it doesn't move away. Rather, it is only getting closer. What starts as something as soft as a faraway wind gradually becomes louder, like a rising wave that's about to crash down. It's a snowball effect too, in that the closer the noise gets the more things seem to add to it.

Accepting that he won't be going back to sleep any time soon, Kale decides to use his senses to determine what's going on. The first thing he confirms is that the noise is five minutes away. He then uses his nose and can detect the scents of many prey animals moving en masse. Next, he picks up the scent of anger—a lot of it. Some of the anger is restrained, being saved for a later time, and most is being expressed openly without any holding back. Whatever these prey animals are planning they have some foul intent.

The wolf's thoughts are interrupted by Hammy's voice coming from a tree above somewhere outside the log, having been woken up by the noise himself.

 **Hammy's voice** (in a yawn) **:** "Who left the TV on again?"

 **Kale** (raises voice) **:** "Hey you's guys, wake up! Wake up! Hammy, get dee others up. Somethin's coming."

 **Hammy's voice:** "But they're sleeping, Kale."

 **Kale:** "Just do it! I think trouble's on da way."

 **Hammy's voice:** "Trouble! Uh-oh! Hey guys, wake up!"

A few moments pass during which time Hammy shakes Verne.

 **Verne's voice** (groggy) **:** "Let me sleep, Hammy..."

 **Hammy's voice:** "But—"

 **Verne's voice:** "I mean it."

Kale sighs in frustration while musing, " _Some co-leader_ you _are, Scales._ " Fortunately—or unfortunately however one looks at it—Hammy is stubbornly persistent.

 **Hammy's voice:** "Ver-erne, Ver-erne, Ver-erne, Ver-erne, Ver-erne."

 **Verne's voice** (angry and stern) **:** "Quit it, Hammy! I'm exhausted. Go bother someone else!"

 **Hammy's voice** (gulps) **:** "Y-yes, Verne. Sorry, Verne."

It doesn't take Hammy any time to shake the other co-leader awake.

 **RJ's voice** (groggy) **:** "Hammy...It's the middle of the night."

 **Hammy's voice:** "But Kale said there's trouble coming."

Kale hopes that RJ, being a far more competent co-leader and having a better understanding of the wolf, will heed the squirrel's words in spite of Hammy's shortcomings. And he does.

 **RJ's voice:** "Alright, you know what to do."

 **Hammy's voice:** "Oh goody!"

Kale knows Hammy well enough to know that the squirrel gives the raccoon a salute without having to see it. The sound of Hammy zooming from one family member to the next while shouting "Wake up!" enters the wolf's ears and has its desired effect, though no one is pleased to say the least.

 **Roger's voice:** "Hey, what gives?"

 **Rachel's voice:** "I need my beauty sleep."

 **Rebecca's voice:** "I was having a really good dream."

 **RJ's voice:** "I know folks, but Kale said something's wrong."

 **Kale:** "We need ta get in our stations."

 **Rick's voice:** "You think one of your pack members is on the way?"

 **Kale:** "Probably. Let's just get ready ta perform."

Kale is left to his thoughts while the family starts climbing down. The wolf is actually surprised at how he didn't think of what Rick suggested before. It would make sense for one of the Bone-Chompers to come by while a lot of prey animals are on the way, because the prey would serve as quite the distraction to hide a wolf observer's approach. After taking time to take a deep, big sniff Kale confirms that one of his pack members is in fact on the way—Nelson to be exact.

Just as the forest family reaches the ground, their ears perk up and they turn in the direction that Kale heard the noise coming from.

 **Luby:** "What's that?"

 **Ozzie:** "It sounds like voices."

 **Kale:** "It's a lotta prey animals, and dare comin' dis way."

 **Penny:** "Jeepers, they sound really upset."

 **Velma:** "I wonder why that is, and why they're coming _this_ way?"

 **Annette:** "Simon, can you and your family make out anything they might be talking about?"

 **Simon:** "There are so many voices, I can't tell what any of them are saying."

 **Celine, Marilyn, Christine, and Claire in unison:** "Likewise."

As the voices get closer, for some reason, RJ feels a chill go down his spine. Heather notices the look of worry on his face, gets close to him, takes his right paw into her own, and looks at him with a look of reassurance.

Feeling a little better, RJ nods at his mate and then turns to address everyone.

 **RJ:** "Something tells me we're about to find out. Kale, go hide back in the log. Bernard, go with him and pretend to be his hostage."

The two nod and do as instructed. Once they're out of sight, Verne can't help but add, "I guess now's not a good time to tell everyone that my tail is tingling."

Now everyone feels a chill crawling down their spines, even Kale. They look at each other in worry as the kids get close to their parents, the teens form up beside Rebecca, and Hammy gets next to Verne's family. Still, the family turns as the voices come even closer, ready to face them head-on.

It doesn't take long, and soon the hedgies' eyes widen upon seeing practically the whole forest population of prey animals coming towards them.

 **Weasel:** "There they are!"

The ensemble quickens their pace, but the family stands their ground.

 **Frog:** "Rrrrribbbit. Where is he?!"

 **Raccoon:** "Give him up!"

 **RJ:** "What?"

 **Mink:** "Kick him out!"

 **Verne:** "Huh?"

So many animals start shouting that things become a mess of cacophony and incoherence. The hedgies try to ask the animals to settle down, or inform them that they can't hear them, but to no avail. The fact that the hedgies aren't responding, or that certain mob members' words are being drowned out by someone else's, only makes the crowd more frustrated and therefore loud.

Then, a small tick makes his way to the front of the mob, turns around to face them, and then shouts in a voice that is astoundingly loud for such a small insect; sounding like a man yelling "Ouch!" after getting hurt.

 **Wood tick:** "HEY EVERYBODY! SHUT YOUR TRAPS!"

The tick is so loud that everyone's ears are ringing when he's finished, and they ring again when he continues, meaning he is boomingly loud even when he isn't trying to speak over a mob of animals.

 **Wood tick:** "BETTER. NOW TAKE TURNS SPEAKING, ONE AT A TIME."

The tick then makes him way through the animals and goes back to wherever his spot among them is.

 **Female gopher:** "Yeesh, Fred, turn the volume down next time..."

Fred the Wood Tick doesn't reply, much to everyone's relief. The female gopher then directs her attention to the hedgies.

 **Note** **: It's about time I finally added Fred the Wood Tick to my stories, who in my opinion is one of the funniest characters from the** _ **Over the Hedge**_ **comic strip. I hope you enjoyed my gag in giving Fred the Wood Tick, a tiny insect, a huge voice.**

 **Female gopher:** "News is going around saying that y'all are harboring a wolf amongst you!"

 **Mob in unison:** "Yeah!"

 **RJ:** "That's not—"

 **Snake:** "Don't try to deny it! I sssssssmell his ssssscent!"

 **Gray squirrel:** "We also heard it's not just any wolf, but one of the Bone-Chompers!"

 **Mob in unison:** "Yeah!"

 **Possum:** "And to top it off, you're helping him recover from his injuries!"

The mob boos, during which time Ladarius and his family make their way to the front. De'Ausha not only gasps and widens her eyes, but actually feels afraid of them for the stern looks they are giving her and her family.

 **Jordan:** "De'Ausha, you lied to us..."

 **Ahniyah:** "You said the wolf had been killed by a bear."

 **Markasia:** "Fo that, you're not my gur-friend anymore!"

 **Lakeisha:** "Or mine."

 **Shaniqua:** "Ditto."

 **Ladarius:** "You lied to me! Why'dja do that? I thought you were my best friend!"

 **De'Ausha:** "I _am_ your best friend. But if I told you the truth you'd wanna hurt him, and nothing I said would have changed you or your family's minds. And I thought you would be a bit more understanding if you ever found out the truth...I thought you wouldn't judge others like a hater. You said you were accepting of differences and only hated haters."

 **Ladarius:** "Wolves are the biggest haters around! And if you're my best friend, then why are you helpin' take care of a wolf who tried to kill me, and even your own cousins?! Only someone who's messed up in the head does _that_ kinda thing!"

Mary, proving she has her father's raccoon-courage, steps forward to address both Ladarius's family and the mob, ready to take the punishment herself.

 **Mary:** "Quit blaming her! It was _my_ idea to help the wolf."

The crowd gasps and gives Mary a hard eye. What's weird is that the loudest gasps came from behind her. When she turns and sees her family giving her wide-eyed looks of concern, it is at that moment when she realizes she has revealed the truth, instead of the fabricated story that Kale had forced them to help him out. Kale said one of his pack members was watching, and she has practically signed her family's death warrant, and Kale's.

Needless to say that inside the log, Kale is about to explode in fury. The only thing that stops him from screaming at how big of an idiot Mary is for slipping up, is the knowledge that his outburst will only confirm to Nelson that Kale was the one who told the hedgies to pretend they were being blackmailed into helping him. It isn't easy, but he decides to put his trust in the forest family to get him and them out of Mary's mess.

* * *

Close by, having seen the hedgies gasp and give the opossacoon a concerned look, Nelson puts two and two together and realizes that Track had in fact lied to his brothers all along. Nelson would normally commend Track for his skills at keeping the truth hidden, but instead he feels nothing but hatred for the teenager. Nelson also has a hard time keeping himself in check, and wants to rush in and give Track the "mark of shame" right then and there for disgracefully accepting assistance from prey, and going out of his way to lie to his pack. After all, the kid had to have put a lot of thought into making the prey pretend to be his slaves.

However, two things stop Nelson from giving Track the "mark of shame." First, only the godfather/godmother of a pack can order that kind of punishment, so doing it without their permission would be the highest case of insubordination, which knowing Leo and Emmy, might warrant a "mark of shame" for Nelson himself. Second, Nelson has a feeling he hasn't heard the full story yet, and wants to know the details of why Track would allow prey to nurse him back to health, as well as how the prey would agree to do that. So he really has no other option but to patiently watch and listen.

 **Nelson thinking:** " _Out of all the uninjured or mildly injured wolves in our pack, I just_ had _ta be da one whose turn it is ta observe Track and hear_ dis _information..._ " (Distraughtly) " _Woe is me?_ "

* * *

Knowing that the revelation can't be helped at this point, Plushie decides to bite the bullet and follow suit in Mary's wake.

 **Plushie:** "It my idea too."

Wanting to ensure De'Ausha's friendship with Ladarius is maintained, Tyler adds, "Me three."

 **Brooke's voice:** "WHAT?!"

The beaver, her parents, her little brother, and littler sister come to the front, the speed at which it takes them indicating that the mob of prey animals had organized themselves so that the friends of the hedgies would have the easiest access to speak to them.

 **Brooke:** "How could you?! How _dare_ you!"

Brooke's mom, Erin, gives a glare at Plushie, points aggressively at him, and says, "You saved my daughter's life, and then you help out the wolf who attacked her?!"

 **Plushie:** "A different wolf attacked her, not the one we're looking after. I remember his fur color, it was—"

 **Brooke's dad** (Alan) **:** "That doesn't matter! You're willingly taking care of a predator!"

Richie and his family—his mom, dad, older sister, and younger sister—then come forward.

 **Richie:** "And if it was your idea, Mary and Ty, then we're not friends anymore! And Mary, you really are a freak for wanting to help out a predator that almost killed me and our friends!"

 **Richie's dad** (Eric) **:** "We came just to have your family kick out the wolf, but now it looks like all of you will have to go with him!"

 **Mob in unison:** "Yeah!"

 **Verne:** "Everyone, please! Hear us out! We didn't want to do it. Don't you think we knew about the irony and dangers of taking care of a wolf that tried to eat our kids and their friends? We did it because there wasn't a choice! He's only 15, had lost his parents when he was 10, was picked on constantly by his pack for not meeting their standards, and would have died all alone in a friendless world full of nothing but pain and death. We couldn't just let that happen, not even to a predator."

 **RJ:** "If any of you had seen him on the night our kids led us to him, you would've felt sorry for him too. Both of his hind legs were caught in fox traps and his pack abandoned him as punishment for his failed hunt."

Someone in the crowd yells, "We wouldn't feel sorry! We would've left him to rot, or killed him ourselves!"

 **Mob in unison:** "Yeah!"

 **Mob member:** "It would be one less predator to threaten our lives!"

 **Sarah:** "That's exactly what my mate and I said, but not all wolves are evil. Trust me, the Silverfang and Wrong-Way packs hunted my mate and me for 16 years, forcing us to abandon our families, our own son for his protection, and our whole lives behind. But the wolf we're helping is different. He's not that bad."

Numerous voices of angered disagreement erupt from the crowd, but much to the hedgies' relief, and in spite of the bitterness that's present, no one has used force to get past them and reach Kale. They may be an angry mob, but they are at least a reasonable one. With enough negotiation, the forest family knows they can settle things down in a way that works out for everyone.

Then, a wild card comes into play that instantly jeopardizes all hope for that. A loud, bone-chilling howl erupts from inside the log—the echo created by the tight space amplifying the sound—and gets the crowd to quiet down.

 **Kale's voice:** "Dat's it! I've had enough of hidin'!"

Everyone turns to the log where they hear the sound of Kale's foreclaws touching the wood as he starts pulling himself out.

 **Kale's voice:** "You's all want me...?"

Kale is now outside of the log on the off-road skateboard and finishes with the classic line, "...den come n' get me!"

Verne looks over his shoulder to give Kale a look of bewilderment and dread, then looks fearfully at the crowd and sees how their surprise quickly turns into hatred.

 **Verne** (coyly through clenched teeth) **:** "Ka-ale...What are you _doing?_ "

Kale ignores the turtle and raises his voice to address the crowd.

 **Kale:** "One atta time, or all at once..." (Rhetorically) "Who dies first?"

 **Ahniyah:** " _You_ the only one who'll die! C'mon everyone, CHARGE!"

As the crowd starts running, Stella and De'Ausha get to the front of their family and raise their tails.

 **Stella:** "Not a step closer, folks, or we WILL!"

The mob abruptly stops with a gasp, making it quiet enough for De'Ausha to address one person in particular.

 **De'Ausha** (in grave remorse) **:** "Don't make me do this to you, Der..."

Ladarius sees the look in his crush's eyes, sees the pain and regret for having to do this, but there is also determination to see this through. So he knows she won't hesitate.

 **Jordan:** "We're skunks, we already smell bad so there's nothin' stoppin' us from makin' this wolf pay back for nearly eatin' our son!"

 **Kale:** "How 'bout dis?"

The crowd cranes their head or moves their gaze to look at Kale who has a frightened Bernard gripped tightly in his paws. At first RJ and Heather think the wolf is only pretending to threaten their son like in their previous ruses, but then they notice the small dribble of blood coming from where one of Kale's right claws is pressing against Bernard's neck. Kale also has the look of a wild animal in his eyes. True, he _is_ a wolf and being wild is expected of him, but right now he looks even less than that. He is a creature—not an animal—that has been pushed to the limit, is desperate, out of options, and has nothing to live for. The hedgies feel truly afraid of Kale for the first time in a long time, and the mob's actions and words only makes things worse.

 **Eric:** "C'mon, we gotta save the kit!"

Jeff the duck's mother, Lacey, also adds, "That wolf's outnumbered and can't attack us all!"

Before anyone can get any closer, Heather yells "STOP! Don't do it! He'll kill my son!"

 **Kale:** "And if I see's any birds so much as open ya's wings, I'll do it!"

It's a standoff, and everyone knows it. From his hiding spot, Nelson is conflicted on how he should feel. He first thinks that Track might have been telling the truth after all, given that he has been holding the opossacoon hostage and now reveals it at the opportune moment. But then again, the prey animal family also said they willingly decided to help Track, so it's still unclear as to what is true and what is false.

But one thing that is clear to him is that this conflict he and the other Bone-Chompers had started is quickly becoming more and more interesting by the second.

 **Kale:** "Now listen up! You's all gonna go back ta ya's homes, _right now_ , and nev'a come back here again!"

 **Mob member:** "Not until we get some answers, and a piece of you!"

 **Kale:** "I said ta get lost! Or else...!"

Kale tightens his left paw around Bernard who reflexively coughs as the wolf slowly squeezes the air out of him.

 **Male rabbit:** "You monster! You EVIL monster!"

 **Squirrel:** "Using a kid as a hostage! That's low, even for a wolf."

 **Weasel:** "Yeah. Let him go and let's dance! If you were a real predator, you'd have the guts to defeat us on your own!"

Kale snarls in fuming rage at how even prey animals are insulting his mediocrity as a wolf. It's bad enough when his pack picks on him, but for prey to do that is the last straw!

 **Kale:** "You want a real monster? Den I'll give ya's a real monster!"

 **RJ:** "NO!"

His adrenaline kicking in full force, RJ picks up a nearby stone and throws it at Kale with all his strength. Just as the wolf's open mouth is about to chomp down on Bernard's head, Kale is hit square in the left eye. The pain forces him to let go of Bernard who then runs to Heather's embrace. But the worse has yet to come.

 **Jordan:** "EVERYONE! NOW!"

The crowd charges, and having been distracted by RJ's recent actions, Stella and De'Ausha are pushed out of the way before they can spray the mob. As for Kale, he looks at the approaching crowd with his good eye and knows this is the end. He can kill three at most before they will surround and overpower him, if he's lucky. And since RJ is also running toward him—has been doing so right after he threw the stone—it's obvious that even the hedgies will attack him too. Kale looks at the mob of prey animals again, the realization of just how defenseless he is rips through him, and leaves him exhausted and drifting into despair (1).

His sorrow is briefly interrupted by curiosity when he hears RJ mumble, "Never thought I'd have to use this..." while the raccoon rummages through his bag. When RJ's paws emerge, they are around the grip of a compact revolver gun! Upon seeing RJ swing it around, Kale jams his eyes shut and prepares to die. His life starts to flash before his eyes, but then the memories abruptly stop when several voices scream in terror—

—At RJ who is aiming the gun at the mob!

 **RJ:** "ENOUGH! If anyone's toes move another inch, I'll shoot!"

Even the hedgies are frozen in fear, and look at RJ who has become a mad man. Still, some members of the crowd are gutsier.

 **Female raccoon:** "You're bluffing. The gun's not even loaded."

RJ points it upward and _BLAM!_ , everyone jumps in unpleasant surprise. RJ quickly aims back at the crowd.

 **Female raccoon** (voice becomes meeker and softer with each word) **:** "Um, uh, uhhh. Never mind."

 **RJ:** "You're all trespassing on our home. Leave now."

The fearful crowd nods and starts doing just that, until a male dove, who has survived many human hunters' shotguns, speaks.

 **Male dove:** "But you don't have enough bullets to shoot us all."

The crowd looks at each other and then at RJ. Some are still nervous, but most have a look of defiance.

 **RJ:** "Are you listening to yourself? Are _any_ of you listening to yourselves? You're willing to die just to hurt an injured wolf?...You think I'm crazy for sticking up for him and using a gun, but you're all no different from what you accused him" (points his free left paw at Kale) "to be. He's not the monster, all you are!"

 **Jordan:** "How can you say that after he nearly killed your own son?"

 **RJ:** "He was acting in self-defense of what all of you were planning on doing to him. Didn't your parents ever teach you to be careful of what a cornered animal will do? He asked you to leave and you insulted him and tried to attack him—after he warned you what he'd do to my son. Because of that, _you're_ the ones who nearly got my son killed, not him!" (Points at Kale with his free left paw)

The crowd looks at their families and friends and finally relax their poses in realization of their fault. But they still won't let the presence of a wolf in their vicinity go so easily.

 **Barbara** (Mark the flying squirrel's mom) **:** "But we can't just let him live near so many of us. He could attack us at any time."

 **Verne:** "First, he hasn't attacked a single prey animal ever since we took him in two weeks ago. So hasn't my family's survival testified that he won't eat anyone? Second, we're keeping a close eye on him at all times to ensure he keeps him promise to not hunt any living creatures while staying with us. And third, can't you see he's crippled? He can't even defend himself properly from attack, much less try to hurt someone else."

Kale wants to object and say just how threatening he can be even without his hind legs, but knows that would seal his fate. He again chooses to remain silent, and again feels embarrassed for relying on prey to defend him. Knowing that Nelson is watching and listening, Kale might as well start counting how many days he has left to live.

An adult male rabbit with light brown fur comes to the front of the crowd and says, "But when he recovers, there will be no stopping him!"

 **Lou:** "And how is that different from any other day in the lives of prey animals like us?"

 **Female porcupine:** "Easy for you to say! Because you're taking care of him he'll obviously not wanna attack you after he's healed."

The hedgies look at each other in bewilderment, then turn to look back at the porcupine.

 **Rick:** "Are you kidding? He'll probably go back to hunting us too when he rejoins his pack, so we have as much to fear of him as all of you."

 **Stella:** "Not to mention he's a real pain in the tail; his attitude, his ego, his insults, and all his talk about how he's so much better than the rest of us. We're survivin' him is what we're doin'."

 **Tiger:** "I concur with my mate. It will be a load off of our backs when he can leave us."

 **Elaina** (Richie's mom/Eric's mate) **:** "But we originally banded together to kick him out of this section of the forest." (Turns to face the crowd and speaks in a bitter tone) "Yeah, good job forgetting the real reason we're doing this. We deserved to have that gun scare us for wanting to kill him." (To the hedgies) "Anyway, it sounds like we'd be doing all of you a favor by banishing him if it's frustrating having him live with you."

Kale decides it's high time for him to stick up for himself, and says, "I made a deal with 'em, and they with me, so dat ain't gonna happen. And one of the things I agreed ta do is eat meat from packages while I stay with 'em. So I'd appreciate it if ya's show me a little more gratitude for makin' dat sacrifice."

That's where the male rabbit from before, whose name is Phil, draws the line. He's had enough.

 **Phil:** "Sacrifice?... _Sacrifice?!_ Oh sure, how _inconvenient_ it must be for you to have to give up your natural diet and eat meat that's not breathing! It's always gotta be about _you_ , doesn't it?! You wolves only think of yourselves instead of the prey you kill! Prey like me! Like my mother, my father, my five sisters and my six brothers—all who died because of wolves like you when I was seven! I still have nightmares, I still hear their screams! My mate, children, and I live in constant paranoia because of wolves! That's why I'm here and they're not; I wanted to only risk my own life instead of all of theirs! I can't even promise them protection, so I live with the knowledge that I have no control over my own life!"

 **Kale:** "So you's think it's okay for ya ta take out your anger on me like a baja vida, mocoso mimado, escoria?"

 **Note** **: "baja vida, mocoso mimado, escoria" means "Low-life, spoiled brat, scumbag" in Spanish.**

 **Phil:** "Cut it out with that _stupid_ taco-talk of yours and speak normally, you wall-jumper!"

 **Kale:** " 'Wall-jumper?!' First off, wolves can't jump over walls, they dig under 'em. And for _your_ information, my great-grandparents were da wall-diggers and I was born n' raised here in America! So ya's comment means nothin'!"

 **Rogan:** "Both of you quit it! You're sounding like toddlers throwing a tantrum over a toy!"

 **RJ:** "Do it."

Phil and Kale look his way and their hatred for each other is instantly replaced with fear for their lives at seeing the gun aimed in their direction.

Rogan approaches Phil and speaks in a comforting tone, "Look pal, I'm very sorry to hear about your family, really I am. But this particular wolf had nothing to do with your past miseries. My mate and I made that same mistake when we wanted to leave him for dead, but don't let your anger blind you from the truth. He's innocent."

 **Phil:** "Nobody's innocent **(2)**. Nobody **(2)**. Wolves have killed us, prey animals, plenty of times and gotten away with it **(2)**. That's why it's not about what happened or didn't happen **(2)**. The law of Nature dictates that all prey and predators are at war with each other. In war you have to take your victories when you can because you are going to lose another day **(2)**. But if you take enough of those victories, one day you win **(2)**."

The crowd nods and many say "Yeah!", "He's right!", "Amen to that!" Seeing that they have his back, Phil continues.

 **Phil:** "It's about predators deciding what you deserve, about predators wanting what they don't deserve **(2)**. About wolves thinking they run this world no matter what **(2)**. I hate wolves." **(2)**

 **Kale:** "You don't know me." **(2)**

 **Phil:** "I know what you can do **(2)**. I saw a wolf kill my best friend for **(2)** sneezing on him. _Sneezing_. I saw wolves break into my burrow and take my parents and siblings for no reason except because they feel like it! **(2)** Except because they can." **(2)** (Softly) "And they can, because they're wolves." **(2)** (Normal volume) "So I hate wolves on sight **(2)**. And I know I'm not the only one who's had such an experience with wolves!"

Voices in the crowd say, "It's true", "I lost my folks to wolves too," "No kidding", "Wolves just kill for pleasure."

 **Phil:** "And do you know what this is;" (gestures at the hedgies and wolf before him) "what you helping a wolf heal from his injuries is? It's a big slap in the face to me and every fellow prey animal who has lost something to wolves. You are all an insult to your families, a disgrace to your friends, and traitors to Nature. Because of that, we have _the right_ to banish you along with the wolf!"

 **Mob in unison:** "Yeah!"

Much to De'Ausha's relief, Ladarius didn't join the rest just then, meaning he doesn't want to lose her. But much to Mary, Ty's, and Plushie's sorrow, Richie, Brooke, Mark, and Jeff did join the rest. Hammy also notices Scarlet refrain from exclaiming "Yeah", but she looks at him with guilt and shakes her head side to side while walking away, meaning their relationship is going to change. But everyone's emotions are put on hold when RJ addresses the rabbit.

 **RJ:** "Do you think getting rid of one wolf will change anything? You think banishing him and us is going to make all wolves and other predators stop trying to attack you? I don't think so."

After thinking over what RJ has said, the crowd slumps down in defeat, thus acknowledging his is right about how they will always need to be wary of predators no matter who they succeed in banishing. But Phil won't go down without a fight—to his last breath.

 **Phil:** "Why—are you—defending _that_ _**wolf?!**_ "

Everyone looks at RJ with guarded curiosity in their gazes, but it is Verne who comes up with the answer.

 **Verne:** "Because if we had left him to die, we'd have turned into wolves too. According to your own definition, wolves are evil creatures who think it's their job to decide who should live and who should die. And how is that any different from what you're proposing to do? Who gave _you_ the right to pass judgement on others? Who endowed _you_ with the task to decide which part of the population should stay here and which part should not? Who do you think _you_ are? Mother Nature herself? You know, humans have done this to each other in the past—persecute and banish each other—and it has led to huge wars, not to mention violence and hatred in general. In case you haven't noticed, none of us are humans; we're animals. Some species may be under the delusion that it's their job to make decisions they're unworthy to make, but my family and I are not that arrogant. We do what we do because we feel it's the right thing. We won't deny how absurd it is for us to be taking care of a wolf who tried to eat some of our kids and their friends, but at least we don't think we're God. That's what predators do, not prey like us. Don't be ashamed of yourself just because you're not top of the food chain, take pride in being who you are, and in knowing that certain thoughts and actions should never be yours."

A tidal wave of shame floods into Phil and the crowd. Now they know that the things they have said and the things they did or almost did, are not only wrong but _unnatural_. Verne could not be more correct. What they were feeling is something they should never feel, even toward a predator. They still don't believe the teenage wolf is a saint, but he isn't a demon either. They really are the monsters here, not him. They are the crazy ones, not RJ and his family. They were the ones who jumped to conclusions without hearing a thing the wolf had to say.

 **Phil:** "I...believe I owe all of you an apology..." (To Kale) "Especially you."

Kale goes "Hm," while nodding his head yes. Phil is actually grateful for the quick and nonverbal reply because it shows Kale wants to get the apology over with as quickly as possible. However, the rabbit is mistaken. Kale really wants to say "Dat's right, you sure do," but decides that would only negate everything that has been accomplished among the angry mob that has now turned complacent. The hedgies expected something snarky from Kale too, and are surprised but not the least bit disappointed for the wolf's restraint.

 **Ahniyah** (while looking over her shoulder at the multitude of animals behind her) **:** "I think all of us need to apologize."

 **Crowd in unison:** "We're sorry."

 **Eric:** "And we'll leave all of you alone, so long as the wolf doesn't try to eat anyone until he rejoins his pack."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Agreed."

 **Phil:** "Okay folks, show's over. Let's all go home."

The crowd murmurs words and agreement and slowly but surely starts to dissipate as the animals return to their dwellings. But a handful stay behind, including the families of Ladarius, Richie, Mark, Brooke, Jeff, and Scarlet.

 **Elaina:** "I don't want my son and his friends to have anything to do with the kids of folks who take care of a wolf while he's" (Points at Kale) "still around these parts."

 **Tyler** (giving Richie, Brooke, Jeff, and Mark a pleading look and speaks in desperation) **:** "C'mon guys, tell your parents you still wanna hang out with my friends and me."

The raccoon, beaver, duck, and flying squirrel cross their arms and turn their backs on him in a huff, literally giving Tyler the cold shoulder. Tyler sighs in defeat, and with the knowledge of how long it might take to mend things between his friends.

Luby notices her son's depressed posture and puts a paw on his left shoulder and whispers, "I'll talk to their parents when Kale goes back."

 **Velma** (puts a hand on Ty's right shoulder) **:** "We all will."

 **Ty:** "Thanks mommy and Aunt Velma."

By the time the kit looks forward, his friends and their families have started walking away.

Ladarius and De'Ausha walk towards each other, but Jordan and Ahniyah grab their son and pull him back.

 **Jordan:** "We don't want you to see her for a long time, son."

 **Ladarius:** "But dad—!"

 **Jordan:** "Any talkback from you, boy, and we'll make it forever."

 **Ahniyah:** "We know she's your friend, Der, but we won't accept as a friend anyone who takes care of a wolf that tried to eat you."

 **Stella:** "Don't you think you're bein' a little too hard on him, and my daughter? Didn't you hear what Mary said about how De'Ausha isn't the one who wanted to—?"

 **Ahniyah** (raised and vexed voice) **:** "We'll raise _our_ son however we want, _lady_. And if you're _half_ the mother I am, you'd ground your daughter, and yourself, too."

 **Stella** (with in attitude) **:** "So I'm a bad mother now, am I?! Well newsflash, my daughter and I have done nothing wrong in takin' care of a wolf. How has _that_ harmed your family? Answer: it hasn't, so you need to get _your_ heads outta _your_ butts and work on _your_ parenting."

 **Jordan** (while starting to break into a jog toward Stella) **:** "You callin' my mate and I—!"

Before Jordan and Stella can get any closer, Tiger steps in between the two with one paw raised in a stop gesture at Stella and the other paw doing the same to Jordan.

 **Tiger** (to Stella) **:** "Stop it, my love! You are only feeding the fire." (To Jordan) "I deeply apologize for my mate's outburst, and believe I speak for us all when I say we should return to our homes and cool off."

Stella and Jordan relax their body posture, but continue to look at each other with harsh glares. Jordan then breaks his gaze to address Tiger.

 **Jordan:** "Humph, I thought people from _your_ part of the world loved causin' conflict. So are you considered 'soft?' "

 **Ahniyah:** "Jordan! What're you thinin'?!"

But it's too late. Tiger's already vertical cat pupils narrow into slits as thin as a single strand of human hair. He slowly turns so that he is facing Jordan, and walks toward him with an aggressively arched back and equally aggressive slow but angry pace.

 **Tiger:** "First, that was absolutely _uncalled for!_ Second, only a small group of radicalized humans who hold the weapons and power, that most of the population of my home region lack, correspond to your accusation. And third, if this is how you feel toward my mate and me, then _I_ don't believe my daughter should see your son for a very long time."

 **De'Ausha:** "No, daddy! Please! Ladarius is my best friend!"

 **Tiger:** "Until these rude skunks clean up their acts, I will not allow them to corrupt you, abavee adamak malak."

 **Note** **: "Abavee adamak malak/** ابوی آدمك ملك" **is the transliteration for the Persian words "My little angel."**

 **De'Ausha** (while trying to hold back tears) **:** "But, I... _I_..."

 **Tiger** (looking at his daughter) **:** "This is not a punishment, it is a temporary cool-off period." (Looking at Jordan and Ahniyah) "For us all. Now I must ask you to leave, before you say or do something else that will ruin your image to us."

Still mad at her mate's remark, Ahniyah is more than happy to comply.

 **Ahniyah:** "We'd be happy to." (Looking and speaking harshly at Jordan) " _Right_ , honey?"

Jordan can tell she is very mad at him and won't take no for an answer. Since Ahniyah is the only other animal he knows who can give him a beating, he decides to agree and to try to go ahead and patch things up.

 **Jordan** (to Ahniyah) **:** "Yes." (Looking at Tiger) "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for saying that about your people. I get carried away when I get angry."

 **Tiger:** "Everyone does, just some more than others."

Jordan nods and then his family holds paws and walks away. Ladarius takes the paw of his oldest sister Shaniqua, but stands still to look at De'Ausha in melancholy. He is forced to move when she pulls him forward, but he still looks over his shoulder at De'Ausha who mirrors his own sad look.

Before he is too far away, Ladarius locks eyes with her and whispers, "Bye..."

De'Ausha raises her paw and slowly waves while whispering, "Bye..."

As soon as Ladarius turns his back while making his next step, they miss each other already. The two also know the pain will only get worse as the days go on, but there's nothing they can do about it now.

As for Hammy, seeing the drama between his family and the skunks makes him nervous about Scarlet's words as she comes forward to talk to him.

 **Scarlet:** "Hammy...? Why would you help a predator?"

 **Hammy:** "When we saw him stuck in the fox traps, he was so hurt, and was sad, and starving...Like you were when I found you."

 **Scarlet:** "But did it ever occur to you that this wolf could jeopardize our very lives? That his time with you and your family might improve his knowledge about how to kill prey animals like you? Like us?"

 **Hammy:** "I...I know he's dangerous, but...Why do you suddenly not like me anymore?"

 **Scarlet:** "I _do_ like you Hammy, I love you even. But I don't know if I can continue loving a guy who's helping a wolf recover from his injuries. I mean, I understand that animals like us will always have to be alert for predators, but a predator who knows his prey from the inside is something different altogether. And the worst thing about that is that you're the one who will contribute to that."

The hedgies' eyes widen at Scarlet's very good point, they look at each other, then at Kale. For the first time since taking the wolf in, they question if what they're doing will only make things worse for every prey animal. And any deaths caused by Kale and is pack resulting from new and improved hunting tactics, that would have never happened without inside knowledge of prey animals' lives and mannerisms, will be on their conscience.

Kale can sense their sudden mistrust and thinks in cynicism, " _Oh genial...no es bueno._ "

 **Note** **: "Oh genial...no es bueno," means "Oh great...not good" in Spanish.**

Hammy is the only one in the family who didn't just look at Kale, because the squirrel can't take his reddening eyes off his girlfriend, who might become his ex if he doesn't fix things soon.

 **Hammy:** "B-but I...I didn't wanna do it, either! I even bit his injured legs when he insulted me. He was so mean and rude!"

 **Scarlet:** "And yet you're still helping him recover? There _is_ such a thing as being too generous, you know."

 **Hammy:** "But he's been—"

 **Scarlet:** "How am I supposed to start a life and a family with a mate who can't take the necessary steps to ensure his loved ones and the community at large are safe?"

 **Hammy:** "With someone as smart as you, you can help me avoid making bad decisions."

 **Scarlet:** "Would you have listened to me if I had said to leave the wolf to die if I had been among your family on the night you decided to take care of him?"

 **Hammy:** "I...I...If you were there when it happened, you would have agreed to help him out too."

 **Scarlet** (raised voice) **:** "Don't assume to know what I'd think, Hammy. That's what my parents and arranged mate did to me, always making my decisions for me without listening to my opinions first!"

 **Verne:** "But you're doing the same thing to Hammy right now, Scarlet. And he suffered the most among the family on the night we met Kale. He became a bully for a brief moment, but in his heart, he had betrayed everything he stands for. Don't make the same mistake yourself. If you want a relationship to work, you need to be willing to hear what the other side has to say too."

 **Scarlet:** "I did. I heard all of you, and I think you're all wrong..."

She softens up her tone after seeing the miserable look on Hammy's face, which makes her think that maybe she's being a bit too harsh on him. She can't fault him too much for his generosity because that's what saved her life. Besides, he could have been easily influenced by the others' words, but at the same time she doesn't think it's a good idea to marry and have kids with a guy who is easily swayed. Nevertheless, she also thinks Verne has a good point, so she quickly looks into herself and comes up with her next response.

 **Scarlet:** "I...need some space and time to think. I'll come find you, Hammy, when I'm good and ready, okay?"

 **Hammy:** "*Sniff* Okay..."

Scarlet not wanting to leave him heartbroken, she moves forward and gives him a hug. Unfortunately, even a hug can't make Hammy feel better right now.

 **Hammy:** "Kiss?"

 **Scarlet:** "Not until we've had some time apart."

 **Hammy** (depressed) **:** "Okay..."

He would have preferred a kiss, but Scarlet had just said no, and he doesn't want to add anything more harmful to their already-damaged relationship.

Now finished with her hug, Scarlet breaks away and says, "This isn't good-bye, it's just a pause."

 **Hammy** (still depressed) **:** "If you say so..."

Knowing that her continued presence will only make Hammy feel worse, Scarlet scurries away quickly. But she might as well be breaking up with him, because Hammy feels like she'll never love him now. Verne seems to sense this and puts a hand on the squirrel's shoulder and grips it firm yet gently like a father.

 **Verne** (reassuringly) **:** "Don't lose hope, Hammy. I'm sure she still loves you. She's just in shock, like us all."

With the last creature who had been part of the mob now gone, RJ finally puts the gun away. Noticing this, Heather walks up to him.

 **Heather:** "You had a gun in your bag all along?!"

 **RJ:** "It was during my days as a drifter, and this is the first time I've had to use it."

 **Verne:** "Do you have any idea how unsafe those things are? How much damage they can cause?!"

 **RJ:** "That's exactly why I used it. The crowd would've attack Kale if I didn't."

 **Heather:** "That doesn't excuse why you haven't told us about this before. I mean, what if, like, one of our kids or their friends found it and hurt themselves, or worse?!"

 **Kale:** "Ya's kids getting killed by bein' idiots around a gun isn't part of our deal. Your mate saved ya's lives by fendin' off dat mob. If he didn't, I'd have killed alluv you's!"

Kale had spoken full of spite and without any shame, which the hedgies immediately know is his way of indicating that they need to put on a performance to trick the wolf who is still observing them at this very moment. The task will be much harder now that the truth is out; that the hedgies agreed to willingly help a wolf and vice versa. They smoothly follow up on the charade.

 **RJ** (growing angrier after each pause) **:** "Can't you just...for once...show us a _bit_ of gratitude...for risking our necks...to take care of you...in every scenario that unfolds...as we follow your instructions?! You would've killed us if we let that angry mob attack you! We took their blame and their hatred for you!"

 **Kale:** "No one's givin' ya's an award for doin' ya's jobs. I would'a killed you's if dat angry mob had attacked me. But if you's brats want some praise, we-ell, okay, here ya go." (Sarcastically) "Tanks for bluffin' ta dee animals about sayin' dat you's willingly decided ta take care of me instead of sayin' how I forced ya's to when I got da drop on you, raccoon."

 **Velma:** "Oh, come _on!_ You didn't mean that!"

 **Kale** (blatantly) **:** "No, I didn't. 'Cuz I would've done a betta job of lyin'."

 **Celine:** "But you wouldn't have known that that's what the crowd believed was going on if I, with my superior hearing, hadn't have heard them five minutes before they got here!"

 **Kale:** "Is dat suppose ta impress me? You's a bat, a mouse with wings, why would I ever give you any credit? Why would I give _any_ of ya's credit? It's my brains dat's runnin' dis operation, so if anyone's gettin' true praise it should be me."

 **Verne:** "You're wrong! You _should_ give us credit, especially this time! We did something that can never be taken back! We just told the entire population of prey animals that we are voluntarily helping a wolf recover so they wouldn't kill you to free us from your oppression—in spite of how tempting it is to do the opposite! Every one of our friends outside of this family now hates us! We're pariahs!"

 **De'Ausha:** "Ladarius was more than my best friend, I loved him! And I know that, deep down, he loved me! Now I may never see him again!"

 **Hammy:** "Yeah. _Yeah!_ Everything was going perfect between Scarlet and I, and now it's all ruined!"

 **Mary:** "Not to mention I had _just_ patched things up with Richie, Brooke, Mark, and Jeff! Now they think I'm a freak again!"

 **Bernard:** "And I had a crush on Richie's little sister, Patricia, and I'll never get to tell her!"

No one notices that Bernard is too close to Kale as the opossacoon points his finger aggressively in the wolf's face while he spoke, until Kale grabs him and pulls in his new hostage.

 **Kale:** "Why would any normal creature wanna get together with freak hybrids like ya'self, ya sister, and the skunat? Like I said the night we met, you's three are doomed to die without havin' any kids. Be mad at ya's parents for dat, not me."

 **RJ:** "Even Vincent knew that he could live a full, though selfish, life without having any kids. There's more to fulfillment than marrying and starting a family."

 **Kale:** "Den why did you's marry your mate?"

RJ pauses to mull over the question, then sighs sharply with his head slumped.

 **Kale:** "Yeah, I thought so. But we's gettin' off topic. I don't know why ya's so mad about losing your friends when you have each other ta love and play with. Isn't me lettin' ya's listen to ya's own music and play ya's own games whenever I'm asleep, generous enough?"

The family gasps, and Nelson raises his eyebrow from his hiding spot and prepares to hear the answer to one of Capone's unresolved "plot holes."

 **Kale:** "What? Did you's actually think I didn't know about ya's sneaking ta get your entertainment? Hah! I know everything you's do. How many times do I have ta say it? As long as I'm here with you's, I. Am. God. I allow ya's to have ya's fun because you oth'awise wouldn't have a break from my slave-drivin', which would hurt your work ethic."

The forest family looks at each other in sadness at how this wolf truly is controlling every part of their lives, even when he's asleep.

 **Kale:** "And since I had ya's bluff to your friends, you can enjoy a bit more free time now that they hate all of you's."

 **Lou:** "But there could've been other ways to convince the crowd that we seemingly chose to take care of you instead of you blackmailing us! Why did you make us say those things to our friends?!"

 **Kale:** "So that you's will know how I feel livin' a life without friends!"

 **Rebecca:** "I've already had that kind of life, if you can even call that 'living.' I didn't need to suffer through that again!"

 **Rogan:** "You...You really _are_ evil, Kale."

 **Kale** (smiles) **:** "I'll take dat as a compliment. I _am_ a wolf after all. But it's gettin' late, so everyone go back to bed. If anyone doesn't, or anyone says anythin' else, den I'll widen the hole I already made in dis freak's neck!"

Bernard squeals when Kale's claw-nail gets back inside his wound, which makes everyone comply with their overlord's orders. Kale makes his way back into the log and the others go back into the trees above.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Dark Tide I: Onslaught**_ **by Michael A. Stackpole**

 **(2)=Based on the movie** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **.**

* * *

Nelson has seen all he has to, and makes his way back home once all the animals are sound asleep. Once again he has gained adequate insight. Once again he can confirm everything is going exactly as Track had said it is.

And once again Nelson admits he underestimated Track. That the kid would have the time to think of a fool-proof way to counter the lie that the Bone-Chompers had spread to the prey animal mob before they showed up is nothing short of genius. Although he initially believed Track had been lying to his pack all along, any attempts of Nelson's to find more proof that Kale and his caretakers had voluntarily decided to take care of him were dashed by the mob's accusations to the lie the Bone-Chompers had spread, and how the hedgies responded to those. Nelson now knows that when they gasped at the opossacoon girl's remark, it was because they needed to sell their lie to the mob of prey animals. They had no choice, because Track would have killed them if they weren't convincing enough.

Furthermore, that prey animal family really did get into genuine arguments with their friends and suffered from it. That family of prey animals truly had lost their friendships with other families. And that raccoon in charge really had a murderous edge inside of himself to have used a gun to defend Track. Apparently the only thing more frightening to him than losing his own life was for Track losing his.

After the female red squirrel left, Nelson first wondered why the prey family wasn't resisting Track more, then reminds himself that the longer Track spends with them the less options they have to fight him. They seem to be finally and fully accepting his hold over them. Track seems to be a true wolf after all. He'll still need to prove himself as a true Bone-Chomper, but there's no need to worry about that until the time comes.

But once again there is an inconsistency. Why hasn't the raccoon in charge used his gun to threaten or kill Track? He could have also killed Track in his sleep, but didn't...What was stopping him from doing that? However, Nelson thinks that's the next shift's problem, and travels the rest of the way back home with his head held high. He has learned the truth at last, and can't wait to share it to the others. Their minds will finally be at ease at how Track is doing everything he should be doing. This will make the injured wolves' recovery become more comfortable too, and they'll owe him for that.

 **Nelson thinking:** " _Who says Bugsy's dee only one who can curry favors from oth'as?_ "

But as Nelson's thoughts stray to more pleasurable things, little does he know that he isn't reading deep enough, what with him being headstrong and not as intelligent as the rest of the Bone-Chomper Pack. Fate truly is working in the favor of the hedgies and Kale. Had any other wolf been sent to observe, they would have questioned the opossacoon girl's gasp and that of her family with greater scrutiny, and considered that a lie of a lie was at play. However, the idea that double-deception might have occurred is beyond Nelson's comprehension, meaning the forest family and their guest are safe from the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack...For now, at least.

* * *

Back at the log, Kale opens his eyes and lifts up his head once his senses confirm to him that Nelson is out of range. Normally, Kale would tell the others outside that they can come down now, but he doesn't do that this time. He's been doing some serious thinking about what has been said tonight. There are many questions he has for his caretakers, and he wants to have his words thought out before inviting the others down.

Just as Kale knows exactly what he'll say and how he'll say it, Bernard pipes up, "Is the wolf observer gone yet?"

 **Kale:** "Yes. He is."

Bernard briefly wonders what's gotten into Kale for the wolf to speak in a monotone voice of irritation. Then the opossacoon focuses on how much he wants to go back to his family, and raises his voice.

 **Bernard:** "Kale says the coast is clear!"

 **Verne's voice:** "Got it. Everyone, to the ground! Family meeting time. You join too, Kale. We need your input on this."

It takes the forest family and their canine guest two minutes to get down and form a circle. As soon as they're done shifting they look at Verne.

 **Verne:** "Alright people, another job well done. We not only avoided an unnecessary battle, but got the whole forest to agree to never again come bother us with Kale around here."

 **Plushie** (sad) **:** "But...our friends...They either hate us, or want nothing to do with us now."

Velma kneels down to hug her nephew, and Verne notices everyone else, but Kale, is just as sad.

 **Verne:** "I know...I wasn't exaggerating when I said we're all pariahs. And it could have been worse, much worse. But I'm not giving up hope. I have faith that our friends will learn to enjoy us again, maybe more so than before, when this is all over."

 **Kale** (mumbling) **:** "Liar..."

Everyone looks at Kale.

 **Verne:** "What makes you say that?"

 **Kale** (monotone voice) **:** "Dey won't forgive ya's, not after learning da truth..." (Becoming louder and angrier with each word) "The truth that one of _**you's**_ _had_ to have blurted out that got us in dis mess ta begin with!"

The animals stare wide-eyed at Kale. The first one to break out of his trance is Rick, who asks, "You think that one of us—?"

 **Kale:** "What other explanation is dare?! I thought I could trust ya's with keeping our secret, but I guess I can't! You's broke our deal! And you know what dat means: YOU'RE ALL ON THE MENU NOW!"

Everyone runs and gets out of Kale's reach before he can attack anyone, but it's clear that he's going to keep trying. That's when RJ starts to step forward.

 **RJ:** "Kale, look at me..."

 **Heather:** "What're you doing, RJ?!"

 **Mary:** "He's gonna eat you, daddy!"

RJ ignores them and continues to address Kale.

 **RJ:** "None of us told anyone else about our deal. I promise you. Why would we want to ruin our friendships with others?"

Kale takes in a few deep breathes, but it's not to calm himself down, it's rather to yell some more.

 **Kale:** "You're a raccoon, so lyin's in your genes! It bet'cha _you're_ da one who squealed! You's gained my trust, had some heart-ta-heart talk with me ta try to tame me, and den betrayed me! For that, I'm gonna swallow you whole and let my stomach acids kill ya's!"

Stella and De'Ausha move forward and raise their tails at the wolf, but he, like RJ is unfazed and keeps coming.

 **Kale:** "Go ahead and stink me! It won't stop me!"

 **RJ:** "Stella, De'Ausha, back off. Everyone else do the same. He's only mad at me."

 **Stella:** "Are you nuts?!"

RJ again ignores his family and gives Kale his undivided attention. RJ stops walking forward and simply remains still as the bloodthirsty wolf is getting closer.

 **Kale:** "Your family is next!"

Those who have experience with it get a sudden flashback of Vincent saying something similar while they were in Dwayne the verminator's van.

 **Quillo:** "You try that, and I'll spike you hard!"

 **RJ** (angry at Quillo) **:** "I said to stay out of this!" (Normal tone and while looking at Kale) "He won't attack me."

 **Kale** (Rhetorically): "I almost ate ya son, didn't I?"

 **RJ:** "You were under pressure then, but you aren't now."

 **Kale** (in dry humor) **:** "Ha-ha! You's _really_ are nuts, RJ. You's got guts too, and I'm about ta rip 'em out so you can see 'em while ya's die!" (Seriously) "What makes you think I won't kill ya?!"

 **RJ:** "Because you know deep down that none of us would ever betray you. More than that, despite everything negative you've said and done to us during your time here, we've all grown to like you...just as you have grown to like us."

Kale stops his approach and raises an eyebrow. He looks at the others who have nervous and reluctant expressions on their faces which seems to be their way of agreeing with RJ, even though they may not want to admit it right now. The raccoon continues when the wolf looks at him again.

 **RJ:** "We've treated you better than your pack, have done everything we can to prevent them from finding out the truth about our secret deal, and introduced you to ways to have fun that you clearly enjoy. You're grateful for that, and you value us for that. We're the closest things to friends you've had outside of your pack."

 **Kale:** "You...know... _nothin'_ about me and what I think of alluv you's! You really wanna know what I think of ya's? Nature dictates we're enemies! I'm a wolf, you are prey! That's all you'll ever be ta me!"

 **RJ:** "But I _do_ know what you think about me, about us, and about yourself. Tell me I'm lying?"

Kale pauses as he thinks things over, and can't find it in himself to say that RJ lying, even though his anger still makes him think the raccoon knows nothing about what Kale thinks about his caretakers. The pause actually makes the others believe RJ has spoken the magic words that will make Kale come back to his senses. They are right, too...But it's his wolf senses.

 **Kale: "** You little!—I'm gonna finish da job dat the Silverfang and Wrong-Way Packs started! Den I'll finish my coming-of-age hunt by killin' you's all, and be able ta be accepted back inta my pack with da respect I deserve!"

The hedgies gasp because Kale didn't pronounce his last word "desoive" like wolves normally do. That means he's not playing around. He means it, everything he's said. He will kill RJ, disembowel him, swallow him whole, and then kill the rest of them. And he's not the only one to experience a relapse, as Rogan and Sarah's next comments clearly indicate.

 **Rogan:** "I knew it! All wolves really are the same!"

 **Sarah:** "Bloodhound Silverfang was the only exception! All wolves _are_ evil, soulless, dogs who are just messed up in the head!"

 **Rebecca:** "You won't touch RJ!"

Rebecca flips to Kale's injured hind legs, intending to bite them, while Rogan pulls out the golf club and Sarah finds a pocket knife from their son's bag. But Kale knocks Rebecca to the side by hitting her with his tail that he consciously made as firm as possible. She gets up in a flash and is about to renew her attack, when RJ calls out to his biological family.

 **RJ:** "Stop it, Becca, mom, and dad! This is between me and him."

 **Rogan:** "But, son, he's gonna—!"

 **RJ:** "If he really wanted to kill me and us, he would've done it by now."

 **Kale:** "The board's slowin' me down and you's're distracting me!"

 **RJ:** "Then why haven't you sped up? And why are you listening to me talk? It's because you won't kill me. You _can't_ kill me. And I'll prove it." (Spreads his arms out as wide as he can) "Come on and do it, then. I won't raise a finger in self-defense."

 **Heather:** "RJ, NO! _I_ NEED YOU! _OUR_ _KIDS_ NEED YOU! THE _FAMILY_ NEEDS YOU!"

 **RJ:** "Kale knows that, which is why he won't do it, among other things. Just _trust_ me, everyone."

Kale finds RJ's calm voice so irritating that it seems to be mocking him. RJ should be afraid, but the raccoon is just so certain that Kale won't eat him that the canine has no choice but to prove him wrong.

 **Kale:** "No more delays! Ya mine now!"

With a loud snarl, Kale drags himself forward as fast as he can and closes the distance between himself and RJ in two seconds, which is too fast for even Hammy to try to run in and fend the wolf off. The canine opens his maw, the hedgies gasp and close their eyes as they prepare to hear their beloved co-leader scream in pain. And then the wolf's jaws make a loud _Crack!_ —

—As they snap down on the air above RJ's head, just inches away from the tip of his ears. The others open their eyes and are astonished to see RJ in one piece, whereas RJ had maintained his calm expression the entire time and didn't take his eyes off of Kale.

Speaking of which, Kale lets out a confused "Huh?" as he is equally as surprised that he didn't kill RJ.

 **Kale thinking** (while panting) **:** " _What am I doin'...? I'd be betta off without 'im..._ "

He looks down at RJ, sees the same unblinking and calm face on the raccoon. The expression does not denote any doubt that things would have turned out different than they did.

Kale refuses to give up, and raises his right forepaw in the air and aims at RJ's chest while musing, " _Be a credit to ya's species and kill 'im! It's dee only way ta prove you're a true wolf to_ ya'self _above all else!_ "

The hedgies gasp and look away again as Kale's clawed paw strikes downward so fast that they hear the air being cut. But they don't hear RJ's scream when the wolf is done, and then look back to see the canine's claws are hovering a few inches from the ground to the right of where RJ is standing, having missed the raccoon completely. As before, RJ had continued to stare at Kale unflinchingly, even when his fur was ruffled from the wind created by Kale's slash.

Kale stares forward with wide eyes while panting and sweating, his facial expression showing true horror. He isn't looking at anything in front of him, but rather looking into himself, trying to fathom his actions. In his mind, Kale loathingly questions, " _What's_ wrong _with me? Why..._ Can't _..._ **I** _..._ **KILL HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM?!** "

The others expect Kale to try and kill RJ a third time, but when he doesn't, they, like RJ, expect the wolf will come clean and admit how sorry and wrong he was whenever the canine snaps out of his trance. But the most unexpected thing happens instead. Kale holds his forepaws out in front of himself, and stares at them as if examining those limbs for the first time. Then, he howls a haunting howl full of sorrow and anguish. Next, he collapses down on his skateboard. And finally, he starts bawling in a mixture of rage and heartache.

Even RJ is surprised, and before he or anyone else can ask Kale what's wrong, the wolf yells out, "I'm the biggest disgrace to wolves _everywhere_! I'm worthless! I'm not as smart, strong, fearsome, or fast as most wolves are, no matter how hard I try ta improve myself! I can't even kill a coon who isn't fightin' back, who's offered himself ta die by my paw! I _deserved_ for my pack ta abandon me! Why am I so bad at bein' a wolf?! Whhhhhyyyyyyy?!"

Everyone looks at Kale with sympathetic expressions, but he's too busy crying with his head buried in his paws to notice. RJ knows exactly how Kale feels, and the wolf's words are an almost exact repeat of what the raccoon did once a week for 21 years. Because of that, RJ thinks he's the best candidate to comfort Kale and starts to approach him. But before he can wrap his arms around Kale's head, the wolf looks up with a scowl and says, "Back...Off..."

 **RJ:** "You don't want to feel better?"

 **Kale** (sorrowful) **:** "Nothin' can make me feel betta," (angry) " 'specially you's and ya family! You're all da reason I'm feelin' dis way! If I didn't let ya's help me in da first place, I'd still be a wolf."

 **Marilyn:** "No you wouldn't. You'd be dead."

 **Kale:** "At least I would'a died like a true wolf: hatin' prey and bein' feared by 'em! No prey's afraid of me anymore, and because I'm crippled I gotta rely on you's ta defend me! Then I try ta reassert my dominance over all of you's, only ta be unable ta kill any of ya! Do you know how disgraceful that is for a wolf?! If I had known that spendin' time with you's would lessen my standin' in Nature, I would've rather died the night we met!"

 **RJ:** "You don't really mean that, Kale. Even with your bad pack life, you'd still prefer to keep living over dying...Remember, I know how you feel."

 **Kale:** "You don't know squat about how I live **(1)** with my pack."

 **RJ:** "No I don't, so explain it to me." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "I ain't tellin' you nothin'." **(1)**

 **RJ:** "Alright, then let _me_ tell you. You're pack sees you as the weakest member on their team, but only because they interpret common mistakes as a weakness of character. When you fail at something, they pick on you for it, and they pick on you all the time, so that means you make plenty of mistakes. Enough of that banter can take a huge toll on anyone's self-esteem, so you can't deny that being with us has been a welcomed break from their teasing."

 **Kale:** "You don't know nothin' **(1)**. You don't know da pain I feel **(1)**. You don't know what I gotta do. **(1)** You got no respect for how I'm livin'." **(1)**

RJ would have continued, but Verne puts a hand on his shoulder and gives him a look that lets the raccoon know the turtle should speak with Kale now. Because Verne rarely questions RJ's request for having the floor, RJ gives Verne the same treatment.

 **Verne:** "You don't feel respected, is that what you're saying Kale?" **(1)**

Kale remains silent, but gives a hard stare. **(1)**

 **Verne:** "Well, maybe you're not **(1)**. But to get respect you have to give it." **(1)**

 **Kale** (muttering) **:** "That's bogus." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "What?" **(1)**

 **Kale:** "Why should I give my respect ta you's? 'Cuz you're **(1)** my so-called doctor? I don't know you **(1)**. How do I know you're not a liar standin' here? **(1)** How do I know you're not a bad person standin' here? **(1)** I'm not just gonna give you my respect because you're **(1)** my so-called doctor..." (Scoffs) "Prey, always wantin' respect like they desoive it for free." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "I'm an **(1)** adult with 54 years' worth of life experiences and you're a 15-year-old teenager, it doesn't matter what species I am." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "It's all about species **(1)**. The wild is like a human city that's separated accordin' ta one's place **(1)** on the food chain. You have da apex predators, da predators, da prey, and da prey of prey. That's just da way it is, and everyone knows it **(1)**. But soon enough you's have lil' wannabes who try ta hit you up **(1)** in ya territory demandin' respect dey haven't earned **(1)**. It looks like dis: one of the four food chain groups driftin' quietly inta anotha's territory without respect as if ta claim what isn't dares **(1)**. That's when we know somethin' **(1)** has ta be done. Soon after, an attack happens and dose cocky scumbags fear us again, order is restored, and they respect us again.

"Wolves like me get respect by killing. We have ta set an example ta others who disrespect us. Wolves fight over territory **(1)**. We kill over species da same way humans kill over race **(1)**. We also kill for pride and respect **(1)**. We fight for what's ours." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "That's not respect, that's fear."

 **Kale:** "They're da same thing."

 **Verne:** "No they're not. Respect is something positive that you give in order to earn, which creates harmony for everyone. Fear is something you do to someone that forces them to think twice before challenging you, which only suits you and no one else. Animals can still harbor no respect for you even when they fear you."

 **Kale:** "As a wolf, I—"

 **Verne:** "As a wolf, you're an animal, so you should be free from any laws or codes and just live life to its fullest."

 **Kale:** "Wolves _have_ ta be governed by the codes of wolf society 'cuz we're superior ta prey like you."

 **Verne:** "Is that what you truly believe, or just something that you were taught to obey?"

 **Kale:** "Scales, stop actin' like you're trying ta understand my situation and just do ya's babysittin' already." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "That's what you think this is? **(1)** That's what you think your time with us is?"

 **Kale:** "It ain't nothin' else." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "And you think you're going to make it **(1)** successfully through life like this?" **(1)**

 **Kale:** "Scales, I'm lucky if I make it ta 18 **(1)**. Wolves're in a war **(1)** with prey like you's, and with oth'a predators. I'm successfully gettin' through life every day I breathe, because I ain't afraid ta die protectin' my own **(1)** species and my honor as a predator. Dat's another reason I'm superior ta all prey: at least when wolves die for our own **(1)** , we die as warriors **(1)** , we die with respect." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "So when you're dead, you'll get respect? **(1)** The respect you lack in life. Is that what you think?" **(1)**

 **Kale:** "Dat's right." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "You know what's going to happen when you die? **(1)** You're going to either rot in the ground **(1)** , or have your corpse eaten by a scavenger. And prey animals are going to go on living, and they're going to forget all about you **(1)**. And when you're dead, it's not going to matter whether you were a **(1)** wolf or not. You're dead and nobody, _nobody_ is gonna want to remember you, because all you left behind in this world is **(1)** your attitude that's like every other wolf."

 **Kale:** "You's're a liar for sure. I did more dan leave behind some wolf-attitude, I done turned an entire forest of prey animals against ya's."

 **RJ:** "You're the one who's lying now, Kale, because you're not the one who spread the word that you were being taken care by us. Because of that, you can't take credit for making the other animals hate us. You're also being short-sighted, because, believe it or not, time can heal all wounds. If we could stop an angry mob from banishing you and us, how can you have any doubt about our ability to patch things up with the forest population?"

Kale's expression hardens into one of frustration, indicating to everyone that he's obviously angry at how correct RJ is. Because he has lost the one, single merit for his legacy as a wolf, Kale decides to verbally lash out against them again, only now with an ace in the hole he didn't think would pay off until now. He realizes he can't defeat them when they're all united against him, and will use what he had seen his caretakers doing today to turn them against each other.

 **Kale:** "Well...You's all liars! I've seen what ya's do when you's think you're all alone!" (Points to RJ) "You's pretend ta be all pure and fatherly, when you listen ta punk rock and air-band to the violent and anti-family lyrics!" (Points to Verne and Velma) "You's two reptiles pretend ta be shy and civil when you have splash fights and give each oth'a baths!" (Point to Plushie) "You think ya's mom can hear ya from beyond da grave like a mental person, and tell her how much you love this family more than her!" (Points to Stella and Tiger) "You's two do weird and dirty massage sessions!" (Points to Bernard) "You try ta overcome ya's fears and cry ta mommy whenever you fail, which is all the time!" (Points to Mary) "You try ta be the cool daddy's girl, but you watch a girly pony cartoon and talk ta the characters and ya's doll like dey can hear you's!" (Points to Roger and Ty) "You's two can't even have fun like normal kids, because your parents try ta make ya learn ta work together!" (Points to Ozzie and Annette) "Both of you's are cheatin' on ya's dead mates by becoming mates with each other!" (Points to Rogan and Sarah) "You's two like 'making up'—not ta mention makin' out—for the years you missed ya's 'private time!' " (Points to Marilyn, Christine, and Claire) "You's three are almost 20-years-old and still can't stop flyin' inta trees even with lots'a practice! You's other senses are great and you still screw up, dat can only mean you's three're 'disabled.' " (Points to Hammy) "You n' ya's girlfriend are, like, 32-years-old and still have tickle wars like babies!"

Kale pants when he's finished, but sneers when he sees everyone he spoke about giving each other surprised, disapproving, and embarrassed looks. He didn't mention Lou, Penny, Heather, De'Ausha, Rebecca, Rick, Luby, Simon, or Celine because those animals did normal and inexploitable things in their free time. Nevertheless, Kale can't wait to hear the first one to speak their shame and discomfort.

 **Heather** (to RJ) **:** "I didn't know you were still into punk rock."

Kale instantly frowns at how Heather spoke in a happy and interested tone.

 **RJ** (shrugs and smiles) **:** "What can I say? I like music with energy, and punk is nothing but that. It's a guilty pleasure from my youth that I can never let go of." (To Bernard) "You're still young, Bernard, so it's natural to be afraid of things. But I'm sure you'll overcome your fears with enough practice."

 **Bernard** (smiles) **:** "Thanks, daddy! I'm sure I will too."

 **Simon:** "And that's exactly how we feel about Marilyn, Christine, and Claire getting better at flying. Practice makes perfect."

 **Marilyn:** "And the reason my sisters and I still have trouble avoiding trees isn't just because we're blind, and certainly not because we're 'disabled.' "

 **Claire:** "Up until we moved to the Elysian Fields Estates, our family never had to fly far from our roost. We only ran into trees whenever we had to go far away." (To Kale in spite) "I mean, _you_ try not hitting trees while running at full speed with your eyes closed."

 **Celine** (puts a hand on Claire's shoulder to ease down her temper) **:** "Enough of that." (To Kale) "When we moved in with this family" (opens up her wings to motion at the others) "at El Rancho Camelot, we only had one acre of forest to fly through, so we ran into even less trees."

 **Christine:** "And now that we have a large forest to fly through, it only makes sense that we're sort of fish out of water when it comes to navigating around trees."

 **Plushie:** "That makes sense to us all. But _you_ like to have splash fights, Uncle Verne and Aunt Velma?"

The hedgies laugh warmly, and Verne and Velma decide there's no point in holding back anymore.

 **Velma:** "More like splash _battles_!"

 **Verne:** "It's true. I make sure to go for the eyes."

 **Stella:** "Heh-heh, savage..."

 **Verne:** "I just have an inner child I like to let out, but when I'm around all of you, _someone_ has to be the adult."

The others nod in understanding.

 **Plushie:** "Invite me next time and I'll show you how to have a _really_ fun time!"

 **Velma:** "Maybe we will."

 **Verne:** "And that you still talk to your mother up in Heaven, Plushie, shows that you truly love her and don't want her to miss out on how your life is going."

Everyone nods appreciatively at the young turtle, who smiles back at Verne.

 **Plushie:** "Thanks Uncle." (Eyeing Kale harshly) "But I never said that I love this family more than my mom, you liar."

 **De'Ausha** (to her parents) **:** "Teach me how to massage, mama and daddy! I bet Ladarius would like that after a long day of playin' sports with me and his sisters."

 **Tiger:** "It would be my pleasure, Princess."

 **Heather** (Looks at Kale but points at Mary) **:** "And it's only natural for a young girl to watch a cartoon show obviously targeted at her demographic." (Looking at Mary) "And talking to characters on TV and dolls helps you build communication skills, Mary. Keep it up."

 **Mary** (gives her mom a thumbs-up) **:** "Will do, mommy!"

 **RJ** (looks over to his parents) **:** "And mom and dad...?"

 **Rebecca** (raises an eyebrow quizzically) **:** "You two...?"

Nothing more has to be said in order for Rogan and Sarah to see what their kids are getting at.

 **Rogan:** "Your mother and I are soul mates, RJ and Rebecca. We're still in love with each other even decades after marriage; we're just as interested in each other now as we were when we first started dating."

 **Sarah:** "Being married to your true love means you express your love in any way your heart desires..." (While looking at Rogan romantically) "No matter how old or young you are."

Rogan and Sarah hold paws while kissing in front of everyone without shame. The scene looks good enough to be featured on a wedding portrait, and draws applause from everyone except the younger kids (minus De'Ausha) who are icked out like any kids would be at kissing. Needless to say that the wolf is even less enthusiastic, and can only look on in horror at how his attempt to make everyone angry at each other has backfired. And it's not over yet.

When the clapping stops, Hammy zooms forward and says, "What they just said is why me and Scarlet like having tickle wars; it's just our way of showing we love each other, and we have fun at the same time. People do weird and fun things when they're in love. I'm that unique kind of guy who hasn't lost his child sense of play and imagination with age."

The omnivores all let out brief phrases of agreement such as "Mm-hm," "Yep," "Exactly," "Sure," and "True." When things quiet down Ozzie goes "Eh-hem," to get everyone's attention, looks at Annette who nods at him, then the two step forward and look at Kale as they speak.

 **Ozzie:** "Annette and I aren't married. We'd never remarry because that would be the gravest of betrayal to our mates. The two of us are just lifelong companions."

 **Annette:** "I'm still a widow, and he's still a widower, but that doesn't mean we can't have someone to stand by our sides, help us get through emotional times, and keep each other company until we're gone."

 **Ozzie:** "That way, it gives our children the peace of mind to live their lives without having to worry about us."

 **Emily, Emma, and Rachel in unison:** "We're the ones who encouraged it."

 **Heather:** "And I was more than happy to agree."

Kale face-palms himself as he suddenly gets a flashback at how whenever he saw Annette and Ozzie kiss, it was on the paws and not the cheeks or lips; a gentleman being chivalrous to a lady, nothing more and nothing less. But boy, does Kale feel stupid.

 **Penny** (to Roger and Ty) **:** "And hearing that you boys are working on reducing your sibling rivalry is music to my ears." (To everyone else) "Amiright?"

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Yes."

 **Roger:** "My brother and I just learned how fun it can be to work together."

 **Ty:** "So we're gonna try it more often, and have our awesome parents to thank for that!"

The hedgies says numerous words of congratulations to Rick and Luby. Kale just stares in shock and humiliation at how this family not only took well the news of their private activities, but seem to get a kick out of learning about it.

 **Kale:** "H-how? How can you's all still like each oth'a after hearin' about the embarassin' things you's do when ya's alone?"

The forest family look at Kale as if he has lost his mind, then at each other, and break out into another laugh session. Verne speaks over the noise to address the wolf.

 **Verne:** "Because we're a family, silly. Doing and discovering about embarrassing things is part of being in one. We're not going to love and like each other any less for things like that."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Yeah."

 **Verne** (sternly) **:** "But as for you, Kale, you owe everyone an apology for spying on us."

 **Ty:** "Talk about creepy."

 **Roger:** "You said it, bro."

 **Kale:** "I'm not sayin' sorry for anything! It's your own faults for bein' too stupid ta notice me. But den again, as a wolf, my skills of sneakin' up undetected are _perfect_. You's should apologize ta _me_ because I taught ya's a lesson about how you should always be aware of danger at all times. If I was another predator, you's would've been killed. Heck, you's lucky _I_ didn't kill any of you's when I observed ya's."

 **Rick** (matter-of-factly) **:** "First, you just made up how you 'taught' us a 'lesson,' that wasn't your original intention in spying on us. And second, you couldn't have killed us. If you couldn't do it after that angry mob left, you certainly weren't capable of doing it _before_ anything truly bad happened to you during your stay with us. The only ones who have suffered real loss from you living among us, are us."

Kale's eyes narrow and he growls while baring his teeth on the right side of his muzzle from Rick's words and especially the nonchalance he had used when speaking them. It's the second time his hopes of asserting himself above this group of prey animals has blown up in his face. The first time that happened, when RJ had said how the hedgies can work things out with the rest of the forest prey animals, was excusable—not for wolf society in general, but to Kale personally. But now that it has happened a second time, even Kale can't excuse himself for it.

That's what angers Kale the most, the fact that he has no one to blame for his humiliation but himself. The whole run-in with the crowd of prey animals was the perfect opportunity for Kale to show this family that he's boss and they're below him. Yet, he blotched it up not once, but twice. Now out of options, he does the immature thing of going back to wishing the past had been crueler to him, and verbally assaulting those who he finds most responsible for his current situation.

 **Kale** (grumbles out a curse phrase in Spanish and then looks at Ty, Mary, and Plushie) **:** "If it weren't for you's three, I'd have died with honor! But because of you's, I've become a dog from interactin' with ya's family. So ya know what, I'm glad dat I ipso facto ruined ya's friendship with others! Serves you right!"

 **Ty** (scoffs) **:** "It's simple for you to say that! You don't _have_ any friends, so you don't know what it's like to lose them, or what it's like to feel feelings! You're a predator, all you do is kill, kill, kill. Your life is easy!"

The other kids and all the teens let out a "Yeah!" before their parents can tell them to be quiet out of fear that the wolf will snap again and be more successful at killing them. He does snap, but not in the way they expect.

It's hard to believe, but up until now Kale has been mellow in his spitefulness for these prey animals' ignorance to how hard the life of a wolf really is, which mainly owes itself to the codes of wolf society. They had asked Kale to explain more about that topic before, but he always put them off by saying it wasn't for prey animals to hear, and that they wouldn't understand unless they were wolves. But now, with Ty's deep insult that hits Kale to the core, the wolf can no longer contain his hatred or suppress his true feelings about his life. He's already a disgrace to the wolf species—was a disgrace even before he met this family—so he takes no qualm in shaming himself further.

 **Kale:** "Okay, that is the LAST straw! You think that being a predator is easy? You think that being _a wolf_ is easy?! Well it's not! It's the hardest, most unfair, most demanding lifestyle in the animal kingdom!"

The omnivores collectively gasp as what passes through their heads is spoken by Hammy out loud.

 **Hammy:** "You didn't say a single slang word..."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, that's right. Mr. Grammar-Fail is speaking properly. That's how you know it just got real!"

The others didn't need Kale to say that—or the commanding tone he had used to deliver it—for them to give him their utmost, intent, and undivided attention. Knowing that they'll listen closely to every word he says from here on out without interrupting, Kale goes back to speaking in the way he's most comfortable with. He still speaks with a Latino-Mafia accent, but goes through the straining effort of not using as many abbreviations or incorrect contractions as he normally does.

 **Kale:** "Because wolves think themselves superior ta all other prey and predators, we have ta follow a set of laws known as the codes of wolf society. It governs how we're supposed ta behave, hunt, speak, find mates, move up the social ladder, and even think when around any other animals. Every moment of every day, all day long, I have ta follow the codes of wolf society to the letter. Any slip up will earn me a beatin' or chewing out, from my pack or myself because wolves are taught ta obey the codes of wolf society as soon as dey learn to learn. Dare's no time for real fun, no time for friends outside of a pack, and no time for family-love. Wolves earn those privileges by advancin' up in wolf society, but a grunt like me doesn't have any luxuries. We always gotta maintain the laws of Nature as predators, which means lots of hunting, protectin' territory, and tormenting prey with physical violence or verbal abuse.

"Now you're probably thinkin', 'Oh but we're animals, we don't have ta follow codes, dat's a human thing.' And you know what, you're right. But wolves're under dee impression that our species has a perfect balance of every ability that makes predators predators: strength, intellect, speed, hearing, smell, sharp claws and teeth, and fur coat. So that means we have ta set dee example for all predators, because bears are too dumb, cougars don't live in packs, and wolverines are only found where it's cold instead of all climates.

"That's why prey like you have it so easy! You just need ta worry about eatin', sleepin', populatin', and avoidin' predators. As for me, I have ta do all of that _plus_ maintain the codes of wolf society. The codes of wolf society are like a ghost dat follows me around wherever I go, sees everything I do, and listens ta whatever I say or think. The codes are always ready ta undermine 'n chastise me whenever I screw up in the slightest. Even my thoughts aren't free from the codes of wolf society. I'm a prisoner, while you're all free!" (Looks down and speaks in regret): "...Because I'm a wolf..." (Looks back at the hedgies) "I never had a choice on how I could live my life, I was always _told_ how ta live my life, and to deal with dat kind'a life whether I like it or not.

"Now being a wolf _does_ have its ups. It's awesome bein' able ta go anywhere and get respect from prey. I get ta stay up as late as I want, and eat whatever I want. I can do whatever I want ta prey, and if they don't like it, well sucks ta them! I've got the strength and intelligence most critters can only dream of havin', and it's great howling at the moon which instills fear into listeners. But besides that, for me at least, the downs outweigh dee ups. I shouldn't let dat bother me, but it does. And I think da reason for that is because, unlike all other families where love is unconditional, wolves earn their love through accomplishments instead. When that's the case, any failures result inna loss of love, usually with an increase of hatred. Wolves see each oth'a as a gang of crime buddies more than friends or family.

"But my parents were different, they loved me and my brothers unconditionally, and wanted us to be a family first and a wolf pack second. We got picked on a lot for being 'softcore' wolves, but our love didn't make that matter. Then, *sigh* my parents got killed by a mountain lion, and my brothers n' I moved in with my literal godfather, Leo, and we became Bone-Chompers. When that happened, gone was all the love. Gone was feelin' good about just being myself. And gone was all the chances of makin' new friends, unless someone new succeeds in our pack's initiation, which is so slim it might as well be an impossibility.

"Since da Bone-Chompers are the best wolf pack in North America, imagine all the things about adherin' to the codes of wolf society—multiplied by 100. That's what it's like livin' with my pack. Bein' made fun of, tryin' my hardest ta makes things better for myself, and failing epically all my life has taken a huge toll on my own sanity. As you've probably been noticin', I've developed a split personality conscience in which half of me is a 15-year-old kid who wants ta do things like any teenager does, and then dare's the wolf half of me that demands I follow the codes of wolf society, and punishes me when I don't.

"And one of the most important codes is ta never accept help from prey animals. As a predator and a wolf, that's one of the lowest things ta do...lower dan my hunt's failure. So if ya's have a single brain cell, now you see that the real reason I didn't want you's ta help me on the night we met was because of _predator pride_ : the need ta be tough and feared, or else prey animals won't take me seriously. My life is so bad with my pack, that dee only way I can feel like a normal wolf is if I physically and verbally attack a prey critter. It's the only time I can feel like I'm above someone else...and the only time I can let out all the anger I keep welled up inside'a me."

Kale pauses to wipe away his tears. Both that and his monologue draw sympathetic looks from his listeners, some are shedding tears themselves. But when his eyes are dry again, he looks back at them in anger and speaks slowly in a rage-restraining voice.

 **Kale:** " _That's_ what the life of a wolf is like...(Glares at Ty) "You sayin' that it's easy, that I have no idea what sorrow and loss is, _without_ considering the problems _I_ face...is the biggest. Insult. _Imaginable_ to me..." (Leans forward toward Ty) "What I would give ta be free like a prey animal...like any _normal_ animal."

With Kale finished, the hedgies are speechless and can only stare at the wolf. They feel sorrier for him more than they have ever felt sorry for something or someone in their whole lives. His need to be a wolf and a predator controls _every_ aspect of his life like a dictatorship. He didn't become a wolf by choice, he was forced to become one. From the earliest of ages he was taught to hate prey, judge quick, and be wary of everything he says and speaks. That is a life no one should ever live. Indeed, calling it a "life" seems like an insult. Although they feel it is right for wolves to be higher on the food chain, it's not right in how maintaining that standing goes against every natural inclination of being an animal. Namely, the freedom to do what you want, whenever you want, however you want no matter who is around. It's no wonder why he pretends to be their slave driver when they do fake-outs, it's the only time he doesn't feel like a slave to the codes of wolf society.

They still won't excuse him for the vulgar things he has said to them, neither will they excuse some of the bad things they have said to him because it was in defense of his words. But finally, they have the true reason for all of it. Predator and prey are truly on the same page for the first time about everything. The silence only adds to the ambiance of this. Everyone's expressions are unreadable, but they are mulling over many revelations in their heads. How they feel about it, they can't put in words, but it's true what they say in that sometimes less is more.

A few minutes pass before the next word is spoken.

 **Ty:** "Kale...?"

 **Kale:** "Yeah?"

 **Ty** (rubbing his left arm nervously) **:** "...I'm sorry for saying your life is easy, and that you don't have feelings, and that you don't know what loss is like."

Kale nods slowly and says, "And I'm sorry for all da heck I've been puttin' all'uv you's through. I've brought ya's nothin' but trouble, haven't I?"

 **RJ:** "Not really. I mean, you saved us from being found out by your pack."

 **Verne:** "Have taught us a bit of Spanish."

 **Spike:** "Gave my brothers and me some good conflict-resolution practice."

 **Emma:** "Provided me and my sisters with a worthy video game opponent."

 **Rogan:** "Reminded my mate and I that some wolves aren't as bad as they seem."

 **Heather:** "Given us better practice with using castes."

 **Ozzie:** "Gave me and my grandkids some instances to play possum."

 **Hammy:** "Told us what each of our species tastes like."

Everyone, including Kale, looks at Hammy in confusion.

 **Hammy:** "You've already said the really good things, and I'm running out of ideas. What else is there left to say?"

The animals nod when they realize that Hammy is right, and even Kale grins at the comedic moment. It turns back into a profound mood when RJ speaks.

 **RJ:** "So you're not worthless, Kale, to us or your pack. One of your biggest problems is that you are your own worst enemy. You're too hard on yourself. It's natural to feel bad for yourself when you make mistakes, but if you only focus about the bad things without thinking about the good things in your life, you'll become trapped by your own self-pity."

 **Kale:** "But what's good about my life right now?"

 **Ozzie:** "For starters, you said that as a wolf, you have the strength, intelligence, and heightened senses that many animals don't have."

 **Velma:** "And you weren't kidding about how talented you are at sneaking and spying, especially on a skateboard which slows you down and makes more noise than walking on-foot."

 **Tiger:** "You had parents who loved you for who you were, which you said was an exception to most wolf families."

 **Heather:** "And you've been successfully deceiving your pack whenever they come to observe us."

 **Kale:** "I know all of that, and I'm truly thankful for dee impact I've had on ya's lives. But when measured against the codes of wolf society—"

 **Emma:** "How many times do I have to say it? You're no longer with your pack, so you can take a break from the codes of wolf society."

 **Kale:** "I can't allow dat, 'cuz I'll just go back ta having to follow dose when I return ta my pack. If I get rusty, I'll be worse dan I already am."

 **Verne:** "You can't do that even for a moment, just long enough to make you like yourself and get into a better mood? I'm sure there's no crime against the codes of wolf society for doing that, especially if you don't tell anyone. I mean, there's only so much others can do to make you feel better about yourself, but you need to learn how to do that on your own."

 **Kale:** "I..."

Kale would have argued against it, but the temptation is too great to feel happy about himself for the first time in years, so he tries it immediately. He had done it successfully during his stay here before. But for some reason, with everything that has happened looming in his brain like a storm cloud that follows him wherever he goes, he can't do it.

 **Kale** (sighs) **:** "...It's too late for me. The codes of wolf society are too ingrained inta my mind dat it's impossible."

 **RJ:** "Nothing's impossible, Kale. So let's think of ways you can feel good about yourself _using_ the codes of wolf society. You've killed other prey animals before meeting us haven't you? That had to contribute _something_ to the codes of wolf society, so does your great tracking and sneaking abilities."

 **Kale:** "Dat's true, but even when that's da case, those feats pale when measured against my pack."

 **Luby:** "Even if you don't meet the standards of your pack, don't your accomplishments in those areas make you a worthy wolf _in general_?"

 **Kale:** "Well...I...I guess so."

 **Stella:** "That's not good enough, kid. You need to _know_. To do that, you gotta believe in yourself, as cliché as it sounds."

 **Annette** (nods yes) **:** "Though they have their faults, clichés can sometimes be the best options to go by in life when you feel this bad about yourself."

 **Lou:** "And you don't have to do it right now, we're just putting things out there for you to consider when dealing with issues you have without taking them out on us."

 **RJ:** "And while we're on the subject, another positive thing about your life is that your brothers still love you if they tried to bring you back."

 **Verne:** "And I bet it's been hard for your pack to have no one to take out any of their frustration on."

 **Kale:** "I doubt that. I bet only my hermanos miss me."

 **RJ:** "But have you ever thought that if your pack doesn't have anyone to absorb the negative feelings they have, they'd fall apart? I'm not saying that's the right thing for them to do, but if it's true, that makes you the strongest member of the pack; to take the abuse that holds them together."

Kale raises an eyebrow at how he never thought about it like that before. He quickly drops it back down when he thinks RJ is being too hopeful, and wants to make sure his methods of boosting self-confidence are grounded in reality.

 **Kale:** "You's don't know my pack, they'd be united no matter what. Even if they started hatin' each other, they'd hate everything else even more, which would be a source of their bond...So I'm not really that important at all."

 **Velma:** "If you feel that way, why haven't you left and joined a pack that will accept you? I mean there is always, _always_ , someone out in the world who won't fault you for your shortcomings, will understand your situation, and accept you for who you are."

 **Kale:** "My bros are dee only family I have left, I can't just leave 'em. Not ta mention bein' a Bone-Chomper has me set for life when it comes ta reputation and territory. And bein' a Bone-Chomper means many wolves won't accept me 'cuz they're jealous of my pack. They'd kill me before lettin' me in. The best option I have is ta stay with my pack and get betta at meetin' dare standards."

 **Verne:** "If that's how you really feel, then in order to do that, you need to feel proud of yourself; both the goods and the bads. You also need to remember that despite the ups and downs in your life, things could always be worse."

 **RJ:** "Equally important is to keep in mind that things _are_ worse for certain animals somewhere...And although some can't take it and are driven mad with grief, some _can_ take what they've been given and continue on despite how bad things are..." (Points to himself) "I'm proof of that, or rather, my past before meeting my family is proof." (Looks Kale in the eyes) "Find something to live for. Find hope, and believe."

An awkward silence occurs, but in that silence Kale mulls over what the family has told him. He also decides to finally take their advice, and truly cancels out all thoughts about the codes of wolf society and measures his accomplishments on their own merits, hoping that some soul-searching will help him out.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on the movie** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **.**

* * *

He thinks back to his family life with his parents, then to the hunt where he tracked the stout and earned his name. Thinks to his training under his brothers' tutelage. Thinks to how well his family fought the insane cougar before things went south. Thinks to his interactions with his pack, for better and for worse. Thinks back to all the animals he has killed and predators he helped fight off with his pack's assistance. And finally thinks back to his failed coming-of-age hunt. In all of that, he's had some good times and some bad times, but even the bad times helped shape him into the wolf he is right here and now.

Then he thinks about meeting this family of prey animals, about the deal he and they made. He thinks about his brothers when they tried to bring him back, remembers the words he said to them and they to him. He thinks about his first private talk with RJ and all the secrets the raccoon had shared. He thinks to the random questions the hedgies had asked him, then thinks about his and their efforts of deceiving his pack observers. He thinks back to giving the storytelling circle a piece of his mind, then to playing a video game for the first time. He thinks back to his observations of the hedgies during their free time, then to the angry mob of prey animals, and finally to the conversation he has had with the hedgies up to now.

In particular he recalls his talk about predator pride, and he finally empathizes with his brothers for leaving him behind when he told them to. When they tried to bring him back, they were acting out of their hearts, not out of the codes of wolf society, and not our of predator pride. And all he could do was rub all their efforts in their faces because of his own sense of predator pride; in this case, to improve his situation in his own way like a snarky Mr. Do-it-himself. That makes him feel pretty guilty for how he treated them, especially because the true reason his situation has improved was not from his own efforts, but from the efforts of the hedgies.

It's strange, but Kale believes he has learned more about life from this group of prey than his pack and biological family. Admittedly, their definition of "life" differs from his, but their definition is looser—maybe too loose, but still—brighter, and more enjoyable. He also wouldn't want to trade his interactions with them for anything.

Finally, he puts the two timeframes together, overlapping them in his mind as he searches for themes and truths he has learned, and falsehoods he has discovered. He thinks of his accomplishments and failures. He has tried viewing them through the lens of the codes of wolf society, and that has brought him more pain than relief. In contrast, viewing his accomplishments and failures from the lens the prey animal family has suggested is more uplifting and instills him with a true sense of hope. He thinks about how he got to the hedgies in the first place, where he is with them now, and where he will go into his future. He figures if he messed up his coming-of-age hunt, he can try again when he rejoins his pack. Now that he has learned more things about the world and himself from this prey animal family, he should be twice as mentally strong, alert, and skillful when he goes back to the Bone-Chompers. He longs to return to his pack, aches to return to his pack, to say how sorry he was to Bugsy and Luciano, and for something deeper. He _will_ show them all he's better at more than tracking. He _will_ prove that he can improve his abilities. He _will_ become a true Bone-Chomper in their eyes, just as he is in his own. And once again, he has the prey animal family for making him realize this; he wouldn't have on his own and with his pack.

It is then that Kale realizes just how much he owes the omnivores. At first he refused their help and was grumpy about his situation, but as the weeks went on, Kale realizes that he did not mock the hedgies as often as he did early on. The reason for that is because he truly is starting to grow onto them. He can't help but admire them. They had the guts to offer to take care of a wolf, and they remained true to their word even with a thousand chances to betray him. They could gloat at him or hit him then easily escape, or could refuse to get him any meat and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it since they are too smart to get close to him whenever he's in a bad mood.

Kale gasps when his wolf-conscience catches what he's been mulling over...and it's preposterous!

 **Kale** (thinking) **:** " _Why I am I feelin' dis way? The time I'm spendin' with 'em really_ is _making me soft. I_ can't _be goin' soft! I'm a wolf! They should fear me! I should be eating them! I should hate them! But why can't I do any of that?!_ "

A flashback of all the memories of how they kindly offered to feed him, taught him how to play video games, and how they tolerate his encyclopedia load of anger issues makes him reconsider.

" _Because you're thankful for everything they've done for ya's,_ " the kid conscience in him tells him. Oddly, Kale finds himself agreeing with that part of himself over the fearsome predator part—and now thinks that will be the case forevermore.

Nature dictates that they are his enemies. But they aren't really his enemies, are they? The only reason they ever attacked him—physically or with words—was in defense of something that he brought on to them first. Take all of that away and they've been trying to help him, ever since first laying eyes on him. They have shown him how to appreciate his own self-worth, which has given him the confidence, the certainty, that his life _will_ get better.

* * *

Now with his spirits lifted, the wolf decides to give credit where credit is due. Not just to make his caretakers feel better, but to make himself feel better too.

 **Kale:** "You're right." (In epiphany-induced pleasure) "I feel...better than I have in ages...Maybe better than I have in my whole life." (Normal tone) "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have learned there are other ways to deal with my problems besides taking it out on others. I wouldn't even be alive here to have experienced what life can also be about, either. You've saved more than my life, you've saved my soul. And saved me from myself...It's impossible to repay you deed-for-deed, but know that I'm so glad I met you."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "We know."

Kale never expected for their verbal response to hit him harder than their non-verbal one of acknowledging how he didn't use any slang or incorrect contractions yet again. He is just starting to change his outlook on them, and they already know it. Any attempts for Kale to convince himself that he's reading too deep into it, or is overthinking things, only makes less sense to him.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Might as well celebrate dee occasion by doing somethin' that makes no sense._ " (Out loud) "Um...guys?"

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Yes?"

Kale takes a deep breath to gather up his courage and then says, "C-can I have a...a...group hug?"

Hammy beams and the others smile, but no one moves in yet. They all face Verne, their original leader.

 **Verne:** "Don't say we didn't warn you."

 **Kale:** "Huh—?"

With that, the omnivores run forward and wrap their paws, wings, and hands around the canine. Kale overcomes his initial shock two seconds after that, and closes his eyes while smiling, enjoying the first hug he's had since his parents died. That was five years ago, a long time to go without affectionate contact, but now it's being made up one hundredfold.

He still won't accept them as friends, but they're not foes either. There's still the issue of what he will do to all prey animals when he returns to his pack, when Nature's laws about predator and prey will be restored. He still doesn't know how the hedgies will be able to fake their deaths in helping Kale keep his fake promise to eat them when he's fully recovered. There's still the slight chance that other predators might come by to kill him as a means to harm the Bone-Chomper Pack, and he doesn't know if his caretakers will be willing to take whatever steps are necessary to stop that from happening. But until then, Kale enjoys the moment...

Forgetting the cautionary knowledge that things might not always turn out the way he intends. Both for better and for worse.

* * *

 **I would like to give a special thanks to MTV Studios for making the movie** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **, as well as the actors and their real life counterparts that the story is based on, for providing me with dialogue-gold. I had the privilege of growing up and currently living in a place where there isn't much gang violence, and had to rely on the movie for insights of gang culture that could make my story better. I claim no ownership of the marked phrases, and kept them unaltered (with the exception of adding in "wolves") because to change them would make them lose their edge. Also expect some more** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **references in future chapters.**

 **And since the thing that I needed to address more important things going on in my life has finally come by,** _ **now**_ **I am certain that it will take a while before I can post some more updates. Thankfully, this chapter paused the story in a more fulfilling way without as much of a cliffhanger as Chapter 7.**

 **But just so you'll have something to look forward to: next time, the big thing finally happens. Kale will return to his pack, and things will never be the same for anyone.**

 **See you next time!**


	9. Business as Usual

**Chapter 9: Business as Usual**

She is three minutes away. She smells him. Could have smelled him from 20 miles away if she needed to, but her den is only four miles away. She had heard from numerous prey animals that he is somewhere close by, being taken care of by a group of prey animals no less. Talk about backwards. She can only guess how that came to happen, but decides it's not worth the mental strain to do that. She is a grizzly bear, an apex predator, so all she needs to concern herself with is how she wants to kill him. She could use her claws or her teeth aimed at a vital area, or just tear him apart limb for limb. But should she bash him against a tree or slam him on the ground? Should she take her time or be swift? She doesn't know, she feels like a kid at a candy store, so she'll decide it when she does it.

Now there's a sweet thought. She wants to show the Bone-Chompers what it's like to lose something dear. They had taken her mate's life as part of an initiation for a wolf to join their pack. She would have stopped that from happening, but at the time she was away getting food. Although the wolf she is currently after isn't the one who killed her beloved—that wolf was named Bugsy—she can tell from the scent that the one she is about to kill is one of Bugsy's relatives, so killing him will be the best vengeance possible given her current situation.

Since her mate's death, the bearess had to raise her three cubs without a father, which was an overwhelming task. She tried getting together with another male bear, but the few that were around these parts weren't her type, and she didn't want to move too far away lest she misses an opportunity to get even. And the time for that is now. She will deal a serious blow to the Bone-Chomper Pack and settle the score once and for all. She could care less about gaining any territory for herself and her children, that's a wolf thing. Her motive is just good old-fashion revenge. To attack the Bone-Chomper Pack head-on would be suicide, but killing one injured wolf from that pack is too tempting to pass up. Besides, she wants them to suffer as she has suffered. A physical wound will heal, but the emotional pain will last forever even if fallen comrades can be replaced.

As she gets closer she hears the "signature" wolf accent of her target, and quickly discovers he is not alone when a second voice joins in.

 **Kale's voice:** "Tell me more 'bout da Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Wolf Packs you and ya's mate defeated, coon."

 **Sarah's voice:** "Do I have to? It's a _really_ unhappy topic for me."

 **Kale's voice** (slow and intense) **:** "It wasn't a request."

 **Female bear thinking:** " _Why isn't the wolf eating the raccoon?—_ No _. Revenge first, questions later._ "

She keeps advancing in their direction as Sarah continues.

 **Sarah's voice** (gulp) **:** "They were the most sadistic creatures to ever walk the Earth. Shark-Bite Silver Fang was obsessed with his looks and valued that and his fiancé's wedding ring more than his own pack."

 **Kale's voice:** "Wedding ring?...Dat guy was really old-fashioned."

 **Sarah's voice:** "Yes. We discovered his pack's dwelling by coincidence and Rogan gave me the ring as a memento of his love for me. I tried to give it back to Shark-Bite when he and his pack came waltzing in, and then a crow took the ring. I was pregnant with RJ at the time, and Shark-Bite still ordered his pack to kill my mate and me."

 **Kale's voice:** "But one of his pack members betrayed him, right?"

 **Sarah's voice:** "Yes, Blood Hound."

The bearess actually stops and considers putting her vengeance attack on hold to take the time to listen about _that_ peculiar detail. Then decides to ignore anymore words spoken by the raccoon and wolf, because she wants to use their chit-chat to sneak up on them so as to kill the wolf while he's busy listening or talking. There's no point in worrying about the canine picking up her scent, because the day before she had swam in a river then rolled around in foliage for an hour, and finally slept outside her den so her cubs' scents wouldn't get on her. In other words, if noses could see, she'd be invisible to the naked eye.

A few more minutes of creeping and the ursine can now see the wolf and the raccoon sitting in front of a big log located in an open area, with their backs turned to her. Although she would like to attack him from the front so he could spend the last few seconds of his life looking on in terror at the one who will be killing him, she opts to take him out from behind instead. The reasons is because her revenge is more important than letting her victim know that it is she who is killing him. She'll save the frontal assault for the wolf who killed her mate, not this one who isn't responsible and is merely her means to an end instead of her true goal.

The open area, which puts the wolf 30 feet in front of her current position, means she'll have to be quick once she exits her cover behind a large tree. That wouldn't be a problem even if the wolf had four good legs to run on, but with the canine lying on top of a skateboard and his hind legs in castes, her victory is a certainty. All she has to do is wait for the wolf to start a monologue so that he'll be focused on his self-aggrandizing words instead of his surroundings.

 **Sarah:** "And then there was Wrong-Way Wes, who—"

 **Kale:** "I teenk dat's enough."

 **Sarah** (sighs in relief) **:** "T-thank you...I couldn't bear much more taking about them."

 **Kale:** "I wish I could'a meet dem. Dey was _true_ wolves! And I got so caught up in enjoyin' hearin' about dare deeds dat I forgot ta take notes."

 **Sarah:** "Trust me, you wouldn't want to be like them."

 **Kale:** "Oh, yes I would! They did everythin' wolves should be doin'. Dey was ruthless, determined ta never let dare prey go, relentless—"

The bear bolts from her hiding spot, and clears 10 feet in two seconds.

 **Kale:** "NOW!"

Kale is suddenly pulled forward at blistering speed by the green extension cord tied to his skateboard that the bear thought was a vine. The canine disappears into the log, and out the opposite end emerges a multitude of prey animals pulling the cord. Undeterred, the bearess digs her claws into the ground to help her spin to the right without losing her speed. She intends to break through the log and attack the wolf who choice of cover, though wise, won't hold back her immense strength for long. But she turns her head in the direction of someone's voice yelling, "Fo-orrrre!"

To her left is RJ, who has already whacked a golf ball with his club. The round object hits her in the ribs and sends sharp pain in that area, making her grunt and forcing her to stop.

 **Female bear:** "What're you doing?! I'm after the wolf, not you!"

 **RJ:** "If you hurt him, he'll kill _us_. We _have_ to defend him."

 **Female bear:** "Then let me kill him so you'll be free of him."

 **Kale's voice:** "Not gonna happen, Vanesa. I'm holdin' da female coon-possum in here wit me as my hostage, and will kill 'er first if they fail. And by da way, you's attack was doomed ever since I smelt ya's from three miles away. No amount'a woods smell can trick _my_ nose!"

Vanesa growls in anger.

 **RJ:** "Last chance. _Go away._ "

 **Vanesa** (turns to RJ) **:** "Never! And I now that I know you're all in my way, I'll have to kill you too!"

 **RJ** (muttering) **:** "I was afraid of this..." (Shouting) "Kids!"

Before Vanesa can take another step, she is assaulted by a hail of Frisbees, rocks, baseballs, and boomerangs thrown by Hammy, Bernard, Roger, Ty, De'Ausha, Plushie, and the six adolescent porcupines. The bear dodges some of the boomerangs, but is hit by them when they return. The sight of this makes Hammy muse, " _I know how_ that _feels..._ " with the smallest hint of sympathy for the ursine. But he and the other kids don't let up, and continue to throw a seemingly unlimited supply of projectiles.

Angered more than ever, Vanesa turns to the direction of the throwers. All of them are on the ground, and therefore easy targets, so she heads their way. Her rage enables her to ignore RJ's next golf ball that hits her in the rear, as well as the objects hitting her front, but she can't ignore Rebecca when she appears in between Vanesa and the kids.

Not questioning why a raccoon would do something so foolish, and only acknowledging that someone has presented her with an easy kill, Vanesa swipes her massive forepaw forward at RJ's little sister. Rebecca leaps up and grabs onto Vanesa's arm, using it as a gymnastics bar to spin herself in a full rotation. Vanesa opens her jaws and bites down hard—on her own arm that Rebecca had let go of not a moment too soon. Vanesa howls in agony while holding her injured arm with her good one, whereas Rebecca lands gracefully on the ground with her head high and her paws in the air in a gymnastics landing pose.

Vanesa's eyes have fire in them now, and she clasps both forepaws together and brings them down as hard as she can, hoping to squash Rebecca. However, the raccoon dashes forward into the gap between Vanesa's arms and misty-flips onto the bear's head, where she bites her opponent's ear. Vanesa snarls and tries to swat Rebecca off of her, but the raccoon leaps up again to avoid it, then lands in a handstand still atop Vanesa's head. The bearess ducks her head forward which finally gets the pesky raccoon off of her. Rebecca lands on her back in front of the bear, who sneers and then comes forward with both arms and her maw.

The next thing Vanesa feels and hears is the hard _Smack!_ of Verne's shell that hits her square in the face, everywhere above her snout. The shell had been hurtled by a large makeshift slingshot composed of latex rubber bands tied around two trees. Needless to say that Vanesa lets out a long and loud roar of pain while rearing up on her hind legs—exactly as the hedgies want her to do. All of the porcupines runs up to her and hit the ursine's hind legs with all the strength their quill-filled tails can muster. They run out of the way to avoid Vanesa as she falls to the ground face-first, her hard impact shaking the ground and making some trees lose their leaves.

With three sources of pain assailing her senses at once, Vanesa continues to roar with her eyes closed. When she does open them, Stella's and De'Ausha's raised tails fill her vision. Vanesa's eyes widen in horror, which only provides the oncoming skunk spray with better targets to cause more damage than usual. The chemical of the spray does more than just blast the bear's face with a horrid stench, it blinds her. Screaming, she swipes this way and that hoping to get an avenging strike on the skunk and skunat, but hits nothing but air. When she's done screaming, she decides to accept defeat and leave before this group of crafty prey animals does more harm to her.

 **Vanesa:** "Grrrrrrrr! You win _this_ round! But I'll be back, and—!"

 **RJ:** "—We'll be waiting! Thanks for the heads-up!"

 **Kale's voice:** "Now _leave_ , ya smelly, all washed up **hack!** Or I'll ord'a my slaves ta kill ya! Show 'er I mean business!"

RJ tees off another golf ball that hits Vanesa in the back. The hedgies shout "Yeah!", and then start throwing more rocks, Frisbees and baseballs at her. The humiliated bearess still can't see, and struggles to navigate back the way she came since all she can smell is the skunk spray, and all she can hear are the prey animals shouting while continuing to throw things at her. It's a tough process, but Vanesa does end up stumbling upon the correct direction that will eventually take her back to her den—after having run into every tree or bush that was in the wrong direction.

The hedgies break out in a cheer once the bear is out of sight, only for Kale to spoil the moment with a loud, "Shut up and rally on me!" The result is instantaneous and the prey animals all look in the direction of the log where Kale is coming out of the way he was pulled in, holding Mary by the scruff of her neck using his teeth. The gather around him and nervously wait for his next order.

 **Kale:** "Not bad. Ev'a since I've been teachin' ya's how ta _really_ use ya's abducted items for reasons besides relaxing, you's've become da best ragtag band'a misfits in the state."

The animals hang their heads at how they have come to accept that every compliment the wolf gives them is always accompanied with insults.

 **Kale** (ridiculing tone) **:** " 'Oh, why tank you, Kale, for ya's live-savin' instructions. Without dat we'd have been wolf chow for failin' you's, den bear chow.' "

The hedgies stammer out words of thanks to Kale who holds his head up in pride. The feeling lasts until the next one speaks.

 **Verne:** "But that bear meant it about coming back to get revenge on us."

 **Ozzie** (to Kale) **:** "And when that happens, you won't be around to show us how to use different tactics."

 **Rick:** "Yeah. If we use the same tricks, they may not work a second time, and certainly won't work a third time."

 **Hammy:** "And bears can climb trees! Nowhere will be safe!"

 **Kale:** "Dat's your problem. By dee end of dis week, I'll be ready ta rejoin my pack and you'll nev'a see me again. I thought you'd be grateful for dat."

 **Penny:** "Not if we'll have a bear, and who knows what other predators who want a piece of you, after us."

 **Kale** (pointing) **:** "RJ's got a gun, so you's got nothin' ta worry about."

 **RJ:** "I wasted one of my six bullets on the warning shot last month to make the forest population back off. That leaves only five left for a last-resort defense."

 **Kale** (angry) **:** "I can count! Dis isn't kindergarten math class!" (Looks at Mary and starts to slowly scratch her with his claws) "Tell 'im!"

 **Mary:** "Daddy!—Owwwwww!"

 **RJ** (frantic) **:** "Ok, ok! I-I-I'm sorry for underestimating your superior intelligence!"

 **Kale** (stops scratching Mary and nods) **:** " 'Superior intelligence...' Now ya speakin' my language."

 **RJ:** "But back to the issue with my gun, bullets aren't easy to come by in the Elysian Fields Estates. Not many residents own guns, and if they did, the bullets would have to be a perfect match. No one over in the suburbs" (points to the hedge) "has the bullets my gun uses."

 **Kale:** "Like I said, dat's your problem."

 **RJ** (grips his fingers into fists and speaks in an angry tone) **:** "I should have shot you the night you were out cold when we first brought you here."

 **Kale:** "Too bad you's had too much on ya's mind back den dat ya didn't think ta use ya gun on me until after my hermanos tried ta bring me back to my pack. At dat point, they're expectin' me ta come back by no more than three months, which is dee end of this week. If I'm a day late, dey'll come here searchin' for me and kill ya all when dey see my corpse. If you teenk _I'm_ formidable—which I _am_ —den wait until ya see what my bro's can do."

RJ grimaces in anger, and tightens his fists so hard that his arms tremble. He then turns, lets out an angry shout, and starts stomping away.

 **Kale:** "I didn't dismiss ya yet."

The wolf grips and squeezes Mary whose yelp of pain causes RJ to turn around and come back to Kale.

 **Kale** (smiles smugly and speaks in snarky rhetoric) **:** "Doesn't feel good when _you's_ da one who's bein' treated like a kindergartner, does it?"

RJ uncurls his fists and raises his arms and paws in a pending-to-claw/grab manner, but is stopped when Heather puts both paws on his left shoulder.

 **Heather:** "RJ..."

RJ sees the look in his soul mate's eyes that read, " _Remember what happened last time you lost your temper with Kale..._ " and relaxes before he does something that will make Mary hate him as much as Bernard does. When he looks back at Kale, the wolf is satisfied with the raccoon's submission.

 **Kale:** "Now let's get back ta business. We need ta get more food for me and you's, I need more ice on my hind legs, and I'm really in da mood ta watch some TV. Get to it!"

The hedgies nod and start fulfilling their new tasks as their actions are continuing to be watched by the Bone-Chomper observer who is hidden.

* * *

Emmy has been the observer for today and has gleaned some useful knowledge that is not only helpful for fixing a gap in Track's stay with the prey, but also helpful for the Bone-Chompers in the future. First off, Sarah had a look of suffering on her face as she recounted her ordeals with the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs. That, plus the physical and emotional abuse, continues to confirm that Track is still doing a fantastic job of ruling over them with an iron paw. This extends into the preys' fight against Vanesa. When the hedgies attacked the bear under Track's orders, Emmy had seen how their faces were full of desperation and intensity, not joy or confidence. That means they were trying really hard to drive the bear away, despite their reluctance and fear of taking on a bear. In other words, they were doing it because their lives depended on it, and they were afraid of failing. All of which means that Track has their lives in his paws, like a true wolf.

Second, the conversation Track and his caretakers had about how the latter have gotten so good at fending off other attackers because of Track's instructions, gives Emmy and her pack some extra assurance in the future. The prey animals won't last long without Track's intellect, which means returning predators will easily defeat the hedgies, even if Track doesn't eat them once he's all better, which she knows he will. In any case, the Bone-Chompers won't have to worry about this group of prey animals causing trouble the next time the wolves make another attempt to gain the territory they should have gotten from Track's failed hunt.

Third, the "plot hole" about why RJ hadn't used his revolver on Track has been solved, and there's no reason to reflect about that any further.

But there are some new inconsistencies to now keep in mind. The first is actually distressing. When Track told Vanesa that no amount of woods smell could deceive his sense of smell, Emmy now wonders if Track has been able to smell the Bone-Chompers who have been coming to check in on him all along. If that's the case, then Track could have been putting on one heck of a ruse during every observation, working together with the prey to deceive the Bone-Chompers. It makes sense because the kid _does_ have an amazing nose, and once the bear was in Emmy's range the godmother's own sense of smell had determined the steps Vanesa had taken to rid her scent. If Track could detect that from three miles away, what's to say he couldn't smell the scent of the Bone-Chompers too; folks he's been around his whole life? That's when Emmy recalls Track's words with greater clarity: " _No amount'a_ woods _smell can trick_ my _nose!_ " Emmy sighs in relief at how she and the rest of the pack members have been masking their natural scents using the scents of freshly-killed prey animals instead of foliage. So there's no way Track could know about them, even with his nose.

The second new plot hole is how was Track able to convince the prey to help him escape the bear if he didn't have a hostage in his grip from the onset? He only had one _after_ he had been pulled into the log, so why hadn't the prey just let the bear kill him? It couldn't have been from fear or submission alone, because RJ's words today showed that there is always a spark of defiance ready to be ignited in himself. It then occurs to Emmy that Track was in a foreleg's reach of Sarah, so it's obvious that he would have threatened to kill her if the animals didn't pull him to safety. After all, there was nothing stopping Kale from using more than just the hybrids as hostages. And Sarah was RJ's mother so using her would be just as effective.

The third inconsistency is that the teenage raccoon girl's gymnastics are something that Track could never have taught her, simply because Track is no gymnast and wolves don't have the skeletal structure necessary for the kind of moves she was doing. The raccoon could put human Olympic gold medalists to shame, and _that_ kind of talent comes from years of practice. Moreover, it comes from experience in using it against other predators. But after some thought, Emmy theorizes that the raccoon teen already knew how to do gymnastics, and just used it to help fend off the bear. The fact that Track had said he taught the prey animals how to use _items_ further confirms this.

After staying for 30 more minutes and observing nothing out of the ordinary, Emmy starts heading back home. But unlike the more headstrong observers (Nelson, Bonnie, Clyde, and Gabby), Emmy isn't fully satisfied with her observation today. The reason is that her shift, like all the others before it, have yet to shed light on the greatest plot hole of all: why did RJ not shed any tears when he cried after apologizing for the time he had been okay with sacrificing his son's life to attack Track? At this point, every Bone-Chomper, except Bugsy and Luciano, have observed Track and his caretakers at least once, and none have been able to find an answer for that. Besides Leo, Emmy is the most obsessive-compulsive disorder wolf in the pack, so it bugs the living stew out of her that she still hasn't found closure on something so important. She then decides the hedgies won't be around much longer for that gap in understanding to matter, and plans to share her amazing point with the others when she gets back.

In any case, being smarter than the brasher wolves makes Emmy walk away from here on out feeling proud. Being smarter than Nelson, Bonnie, Clyde and her daughter, she can solve the inconsistencies on her own before returning to the pack.

But being smarter and having OCD also means that she has been overthinking as she solved the first two inconsistencies in her observation. For she still hasn't grasped how Kale and his caretakers have been playing the Bone-Chompers like fools ever since the first observation.

* * *

Back at the log, Kale tells the hedgies when his pack member has left, and the celebrations begin—except Kale joins them this time, as he had in all the observations ever since getting the group hug. Until he rejoins his pack, he is no longer bound by the codes of wolf society, and loves every minute of it. He only insults them during their pretend sessions now, which are in and of themselves fake. Since accepting the hedgies as his allies, Kale and the family have been getting along better by the day, as the ensuing conversation clearly indicates.

 **Lou:** "You're the best, Kale! Without your nose, we'd have never had the time to prepare for the bear."

 **Kale:** "Hey, I can't take all'a da credit. You's the ones who have all the weapons and varied abilities ta take down any predator dat comes ya's way."

 **Quillo:** "We're gonna miss ya when you have to leave."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, me too...Which reminds me—uh, I need ya's attention."

He waits for the hedgies to stop celebrating and fully focus on the wolf.

 **Kale:** "Ya's sure you's can defeat any predator dat comes ta get revenge on ya's? I won't be able ta help out when I'm back with my pack."

 **RJ:** "Relax, Kale. We'll do just fine."

 **Simon:** "My family and I can use our sense of smell to pick up anyone unfriendly coming our way."

 **Rogan:** "And we've become masters with all the self-defense things we've stolen from humans."

 **Verne:** "I'll always prefer not to count my chickens before they hatch, but I'm at least _confident_ that we'll do just fine. Just trust us, Kale."

 **Kale** (nods at Verne) **:** "I will, Verne. But we still need ta talk about how ya's gonna pretend ta be dead. We already fooled Emmy by sayin' ya's wouldn't last long against predators without my help. And like I told ya's two weeks ago, I nev'a intended ta eat you's once I fully recovered, but I told my bro's I would. So my pack'll be snoopin' around ta make sure I kept my word, most likely as soon as I rejoin 'em."

 **RJ:** "We've already got it planned out. First, we'll stay at our closest friends' dwellings and let them stay at our log, telling them to pretend we're dead too."

 **Verne:** "Second, we'll change living areas daily with our friends to prevent your pack from locating us no matter how deep in the woods they come."

 **Heather:** "Third..."

She and the rest look at Roger, Tyler, De'Ausha, Plushie, Mary, and Bernard.

 **De'Ausha** (sighs) **:** "No one'll go play at the neutral zone."

 **Roger:** "We'll only have fun at our new homes..."

 **Ty:** "...By inviting our friends to come see us instead of the other way around."

The rest nod at the kids and look back at Kale.

 **Kale** (nods) **:** "Sounds good. Keep it up for two months and I can guarantee dat my pack'll lose interest in locatin' ya's."

 **Verne** (to the others) **:** "This won't be easy, guys. We'll have to live away from all of our possessions and downtime spots for _two months_. But I know that no one's gonna object, because what's at stake here?"

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Our survival."

 **Verne:** "Which is more valuable to us than any item from the human world we've gained. All of us learned how to live without human stuff before, we can do it again."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Yes."

The group stands in silence for a few moments before Velma asks a serious question.

 **Velma:** "Kale...?"

 **Kale:** "I'm listenin', Velma."

 **Velma:** "Once you get back to your pack, you'll hunt prey animals again won't you?"

 **Kale:** "Of course. I _have_ to. When I go back, Nature's laws between predator and prey will be restored. Not ta mention my pack'll ridicule me more if I don't eat prey critters."

 **Hammy:** "Will you eat us?"

 **Kale:** "If you's do what ya's supposed to, dat won't be an issue."

 **Hammy:** "But what if your pack _does_ discover us? Will you eat us then?"

Now that they know Hammy actually put some genuine thought into his question, instead of just saying what was on his mind, everyone looks at Kale. The wolf looks in the eyes of everyone before responding.

 **Kale:** "If I'm ever huntin' alone, no. But if I'm ordered to in da presence of one of my pack members...I'll have no choice. If they discover dat I lied to 'em, they'll order me ta kill ya's for sure as a demonstration of loyalty. So you's gotta stay hidden for my sake too. Promise me."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "We promise, Kale."

 **Kale:** "Good."

 **Plushie:** "What about our friends? Will you hunt them too?"

 **Kale:** "Yes. Whether I'm ordered to, or not."

Even though everyone had expected him to say that, the hedgies still look at each other in concern, then look back at Kale as he elaborates.

 **Kale:** "My debt is ta you's, and you's alone. Everyone else in da forest is food ta me. It may not be dee answer ya wanted, but it's just da way it is."

 **RJ:** "We understand." (To the others) "Right?"

The family affirms collectively either through words or nods.

 **Kale:** "But if you's wanna keep ya's friends safe, den keep 'em close ta you's, and remember ta stay hidden."

That remark is what reminds the forest family that Kale still has good in his heart, somewhere deep down, hidden beneath his predator tendencies. The tip he just gave them will very likely save their friends' lives, once the latter are ready to accept the hedgies back as friends. That will be the challenging part, but there is no doubt of their success in that.

 **Kale:** "Is dare anything else you's wanna talk about in regards to da future?"

 **Hammy:** "Will you ever come back to visit us?"

 **Kale** (sighs) **:** "Don't count on it. My pack'll keep a close eye on me ta ensure I haven't gone soft since my time with all'uv you's. I doubts we'll ever see each oth'as again."

Even Kale's head lowers after finishing.

 **Mary:** "But you've become so much fun to be around."

 **Kale:** "I know."

 **Quillo:** "You're much better at playing games. You even give my brothers and me a run for our money."

 **Kale:** "I know. But it's for the best. For us _all_."

The look Kale gives and the sincerity of his delivery puts a stop to any further attempt to convince him to visit them.

After some silence, Bernard can't help but ask, "What's the first thing you'll do when you return to your pack?"

 **Kale:** "Well, I don't teenk I can tell ya's—"

 **Heather:** "Easy, Bernard. Remember that he can't tell us everything about his pack's lifestyle."

 **Kale:** "Thanks, Heather."

 **Verne:** "Does anyone have something else they wanna say?"

No one does, and they turn to leave for the Pad.

 **RJ:** "What's wrong, Kale?"

Everyone redirects their attention to the wolf, who is glad that RJ noticed he has more to say.

 **Kale:** "...We should've killed Vanesa, not driven her away. Dead, she can't come back ta get revenge on you's or my pack."

 **RJ:** "Yes, we did consider that before coming up with our plan to defeat her. But leaving her alive is better than killing her because the humiliation will keep her from coming back for revenge."

 **Tiger:** "As the saying in my home country goes, 'Abva—"

 **Stella:** "In English, Tiger."

 **Hedgies and Kale in unison:** "Please."

 **Tiger:** "As you wish. 'There is nothing more disgraceful than for someone who instills fear in others to live in a place where everyone mocks him and is no longer afraid of him.' In other words, shaming an adversary is a far more grievous blow than any physical injury or even death can inflict."

 **Kale:** "I know, ya's think dat Vanesa won't be able ta show her face around deese parts without bein' laughed at. But enough humiliation will only wanna make her prove why all creatures should fear her."

 **Roger:** "Can _all_ predators just not let bygones be bygones?"

Kale doesn't bat an eye at the random question asked and answers it immediately and willingly, which again shows how his relationship with the hedgies has improved.

 **Kale:** "Don't forget about predator pride. Dat extends ta all predators, not just wolves. Every predator considers demselves ta be da biggest, baddest animals on da block, whereas prey is considered low life scum. And dee advantage of bein' considered low life scum is dat maintainin' one's reputation is never an issue." **(1)**

Having the most experience with the aspirations of predators due to his time with Vincent, RJ wants to make a comparison, but relents because Vincent didn't care about his image among the greater animal community. The bear was a recluse and too selfish to do that.

 **Kale:** "But as you's said, I'm gonna trust ya's in being able ta deal with her if she ever comes back...Just as you's needs ta trust me that me n' my pack can take 'er out too."

 **Hedgies in unison:** "We do."

 **Verne:** "Anything else you wanna say, Kale? Or anyone else?"

No one speaks, so Verne continues, "Then let's go relax before we head out to raid some more things."

Everyone nods and goes their separate way, except for Sarah who is drawn to the sound of someone saying, "Psst. Over here."

She turns and sees Kale motioning with his head to come beside him. Sarah shrugs and walks over to him.

 **Sarah:** "What is it?"

Kale puts his paw up in a stop hand gesture and then motions to the family who is still in earshot. The raccoon nods and waits for the others to leave. When they're all away, she asks, "Well?"

 **Kale:** "I just wanted ta let ya know, dat I appreciate ya's willingness ta talk ta me about ya's experiences with the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs. I could tell it was hard for you's."

 **Sarah** (sighs) **:** "You'd think that talking about it years after it happened would make it easier for me, but time can't heal all wounds."

 **Kale:** "Yeah...But what I really wanted ta say was dat when I said I liked hearin' what dey did ta you's and ya's mate, I was just playin' along with da ruse. I mean, da first time ya told me about what dey did ta you's on the night we met, I originally tought it was cool for wolves ta do dose things toward prey animals. But now dat I know you's betta, the actions of the Wrong-Way and Silver Fang Packs are just pure madness and unnecessary cruelty, 'stead of wolves exerting dare dominance over prey animals. Dey took things way too far with you's, and should'a given up dare hunt when dey started sufferin' major casualties."

 **Sarah** (puts a paw on Kale in appreciation) **:** "Thanks for telling me that. And if you don't mind me asking, is your pack godfather anything like Shark-Bite Silver Fang or Wrong-Way Cammie?"

 **Kale:** "I..."

 **Sarah:** "Can't tell me? I thought so."

 **Kale:** "Well..."

The wolf looks around and confirms no one is nearby, and then beckons Sarah to come very close to him.

 **Kale** (whispering) **:** "I'll tell you's if you promise not ta tell anyone. Not even ya's mate or kids."

 **Sarah** (whispering) **:** "I promise."

 **Kale** (whispering) **:** "Leo's a very honorable wolf who thinks of the pack's well-being above himself. He's too mature and smart ta let somethin' like what you and ya's mate did make him go on a vengeance spree...But _all_ wolves _do_ like ta play around with—and by dat, I mean torture—any prey animals who've given 'em a hard time, and Leo's no exception. He'll just follow the codes of wolf society while doin' it."

 **Sarah** (whispering) **:** "I see. Thank you. I couldn't bear having to be separated from my son and extended family again."

 **Kale** (raises an eyebrow in humor) **:** " 'Couldn't _bear'_? Was dat a joke?"

Sarah pauses to absorb what Kale had said, then giggles and says, "It was unintentional, I assure you."

 **Kale:** "Heh-heh. I guess it's fair for me ta take credit."

 **Sarah:** "Sure thing."

 **Kale:** "Okay, we's done here. You's can go n' relax now."

Sarah nods and heads off to where her mate and grandchildren are. As Kale makes his way over to the Pad, he can't decide who will be more hurt from his leave: himself or the hedgies?

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor**_ **by K.W. Jeter.**

* * *

In the last few days of the week, Kale made sure to spend as much time having fun with the forest family as he could, knowing he'll never get a chance to do this again. He enjoys it to the last nanoseconds.

Saturday is when his castes are removed, and his departure from the hedgies was intentionally short because to drag it on for too long would make it impossible for him to want to leave. There weren't any speeches, any attempts to convince him to stay, or any hugs, paw shakes or fist bumps. He and they simply said goodbye to each other, one at a time, and then Kale left.

Kale isn't too sad because he remembers how things will get better for him once he gets back to his pack. He will use the knowledge he has learned from this overly-generous and amazingly tolerant group of prey animals to become a better wolf and never lose his self-confidence again. By their actions and words, they taught him things he never would have discovered had he not lived with them for three months. A thought comes into his head as he finishes reminiscing about his time with the hedgies, a thought that will ensure his future successes as a wolf in the Bone-Chomper Pack.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Lesson one from dis experience: Realize just how much ya don't know. Lesson two: make sure ta learn from lesson one._ " **(1)**

He is two-thirds of the way back home, and it suddenly occurs to him how great it feels for him to have the use of his hind legs again. He can sprint, dodge, jump, sneak without making any noise, and roll over and turn around in an instant. He's so happy, that he does those things as if it's his first time. Although his forelegs feel slightly stronger than his hind ones, which will take some time to get used to, it's phenomenal nonetheless. He can't wait to go on his next hunt, and he has a plan of just where it should be: wherever Ladarius's family lives.

 **Kale thinking:** " _It's dare fault I got inta dis mess. Dey made me rush, den they spread da word of my failed hunt around. Dey'll pay for dat!_

" _But if dey hadn't ruined ya hunt, you's would'a never met da forest family..._ "

Kale catches the return of his wolf-conscience wrestling with his kid-conscience, and tries to find his Kale-conscience to settle the issue.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Yep, dat's true...But now I gotta be a wolf again. The codes of wolf society are on me like green on grass. You's_ knew _it would come back, and here it is. And as for huntin' da family of De'Ausha's boyfriend...well, maybe I can just kill his parents._ Dare _the ones who I have a bone ta pick with, not the skunk kit or his sisters. Dose four can move in with da prey animal family when dare parents die...Oh how_ sweet _dat'll be when it happens! I'll get 'em if it's da last thing I—_ "

Kale pauses his thoughts and stops in his tracks when he catches onto where his mentality will lead him.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Don't make da same mistake as da Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs did. If ya's do a hunt, ya do it for ya's pack, not for personal pleasure. Ya do it in fulfillment of the codes of wolf society, nothin' more and nothin' less._ "

Kale continues his trek with a smile on his face at how he is smarter as a result of his talk with Sarah. He can't wait to prove to his pack just how much he has improved.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Dark Tide I: Onslaught**_ **by Michael A. Stackpole.**

* * *

At the Bone-Chompers Wolf Pack's dwelling, Gabby's ankle has also fully healed, which benefited her pack as much as herself. Earlier this week, she was able to adequately participate in hunting down four foxes who had the nerve to try to take over some of her pack's territory. The foxes were clever in not attacking the Bone-Chompers directly, and believed their intellect would outsmart the Bone-Chompers where the Rock-Busters' strength failed. The vulpines and one vixen gave the wolves a run for their money by leading the pack on a perilous journey near human hunters' fields and car-filled highways, while another rival wolf pack tried to take over a different section of Bone-Chomper territory—meaning some predators indeed learned to work together to try to best the Bone-Chompers. Unfortunately for their opponents, the Bone-Chompers both outmatched and outsmarted the foxes and other wolves, and reclaimed their rightful territories.

Although the battle was won, the Bone-Chompers still have much to do in order to ensure something like this never happens again. The foxes knew of the hidden underground tunnel dug by the Bone-Chompers long ago that enabled them to easily move through the territory that the foxes tried to take over. Only two types of creatures knew about the hidden passage: the Bone-Chompers and a select few prey animals who do the wolves' bidding in the territories in which they live. This means that the foxes temporary hold on the Bone-Chompers' land was an inside job done by one of the prey animals under the wolves' sway. Such animals are dubbed "paisanos," meaning peasants, and they serve as the Bone-Chompers' eyes and ears in their territories. The paisanos tell the wolves how well or not the other animals in their territory are following in line with the Bone-Chompers' laws, and if any uprisings are about to occur. The paisanos struck their deal with the Bone-Chompers who agreed to protect them and give them power and luxuries in their territories that most creatures lack. But it seems that one paisano isn't satisfied, and thus must be dealt with.

 **Leo:** "I recently got word dat all the paisanos in Area 3 have returned from visitin' dare extended families. They can meet with us whenever we want, so today we need ta decide who's gonna accompany me ta address dee issue of an unfaithful paisano...Dillinger, you's look da scariest, so you's coming with me for sure."

Dillinger nods giddily like a bobble head in sick amusement while smirking.

 **Gabby:** "I'll sit dis one out, papa. I don't want paisanos ta think I'm just ya's lapdog."

 **Leo:** "I agree."

 **Bugsy:** "I secured da deal with our paisanos, so I'll go in her place, Leo."

 **Voice:** "Me too!"

Everyone turns in the direction the voice came from, and no one can believe their eyes! Kale has returned, and is standing on all four legs.

 **Luciano and Bugsy in unison** (in joy) **:** "KALE!"

The ex-Sniff-Trackers run over to their youngest sibling and tackle him to ground where all three start rolling over as they give each other noogies and play-bites. When they're done playing and laughing, the other Bone-Chompers run up and verbally join the festivities by saying "Dare he is!", "Looks who's come back!", "Lo and behold, da prodigal son has returned!"

 **Bugsy:** "What took ya so long, hermanito?"

 **Kale:** "I had ta eat da prey critters who I tricked ta take care of me, dat's what. I wanted ta savor every moment, and it was awe-some!"

 **Clyde:** "Yep, ya sure showed dem. 'Specially in rulin' dem like a slave driver, literally!"

 **Bonnie:** "Ya forced 'em ta watch da TV shows only you wanted."

 **Nelson:** "Told 'em how you knowing 'bout dem usin' dare free time items was part'a ya's plan ta make 'em betta slaves."

 **Emmy:** "And even made the raccoon's son hate his own daddy for bein' willin' ta sacrifice him just to attack ya."

 **Kale:** "What can I say, it's what any wolf should've done ta prey like—Wait a minute?" (Surprised) "How'd you's know all dat?"

 **Leo:** "Simple: we've been spyin' on ya, Track."

 **Kale** (shocked) **:** "Spyin' on me?" (Frustrated) "Why?!"

 **Emmy:** "Ta make sure you weren't lyin' ta ya's brothers about usin' da prey critters ta help heal ya's up."

 **Kale** (angry) **:** "Why would ya's think I wouldn't?! I'm a wolf for peat's sake!"

 **Luciano:** "Watch ya tone, Kale. Because you's a wolf, you should be a pro at lyin', even ta ya's own species."

 **Leo:** "I found some inconsistencies in da story about you's current situation when Bugsy and Luciano returned after tryin' ta bring ya back. We had ta be sure you's weren't willingly lettin' 'em take care of ya."

 **Capone:** "Though we decided ta tell many prey animals dat you were..."

 **Kale:** "What're you's talkin' about?—"

That's when the dots connect.

 **Kale** (low and in seething rage) **:** " _You's_...Were da ones...who told all the prey animals...dat I _voluntarily_ agreed...ta let da family of misfits...take care of me?!"

 **Leo** (calm and smugly) **:** "Indeed it was."

 **Kale:** "I could've been killed! I almost _was_ killed! If da raccoon in charge chose ta shoot me with his gun instead of aiming at da crowd—!"

 **Nelson:** "And yet, you's alive, and used it ta tighten ya's hold over dem more than ever."

 **Capone:** "I bet it made 'em taste betta too, gettin' revenge for dat."

 **Emmy:** "You made us very proud, Track. You showed dat you's a true wolf after all, and not just a foul-up."

Kale takes a deep breath to calm himself down before saying, "Well...when ya's put it dat way...I-I guess I should be thankful."

 **Gabby:** "Darn right ya do, Track. Oh, and until you's become a true Bone-Chomper get used ta bein' called 'Track.'

Kale's eyes widen and he looks earnestly at his godsister.

 **Kale:** "Gabby..."

 **Gabby:** "Kale..."

The other wolves back up to give those two some room to have a one-on-one talk. When they spoke each other's name—particularly Gabby calling him "Kale"—both had addressed the other in a tone that indicates there is something between them that must be resolved. And the onlookers know exactly what it is.

 **Gabby:** "Good ta see ya's legs're better."

 **Kale:** "You's too. Uh, Gabby? Not a day went by when I wanted ta say how sorry I was ta you's for gettin' ya's leg injured. I had ta live for three months without either of my hind legs, and dat was a nightmare. It's one thing ta say sorry, but it's anoth'a thing ta say sorry after experiencin' the hardships I caused ya. You're like a big sister ta me, and I should've never been so selfish ta forget about dat. Can ya ever forgive me? I'm really, really, _really_ , _really_ sorry."

Gabby listened closely to everything Track has told her. He wasn't trying to ask for forgiveness just to make himself feel better, but to make her feel better too. He truly meant it, every word. So she decides to return the favor.

 **Gabby:** "Step forward, Track."

Eager to be forgiven, Kale lets the use of his mock-name slide and steps forward, willingly to do anything in order to finally get on Gabby's good side.

 **Gabby:** "See dis rock?" (Points to where the rock is next to where she is standing) "Come put ya's left hind ankle right against it, so dat you's touching it."

Kale obeys, but not without the dreadful feeling of nervousness and unease settling in. The left hind ankle is where Gabby had been injured after rolling down the hill and hitting a rock at the bottom during his hunt. While doing as instructed, he looks at his pack members with pleading eyes, hoping that they'll step in and stop Gabby. But they're just gazing on as if it's some sort of sick game.

Only two don't find any interest in what's unfolding. Bugsy and Luciano look at each other in question, then look at Gabby. Luciano opens his mouth to take a breath so he can speak, but a hard look from Emmy stills his tongue. The two brothers have no choice but to keep watching.

Kale puts his left hind ankle against the rock now, then looks at Gabby who nods in appreciation.

 **Gabby:** "Hold still."

She walks up and gets within striking range of Kale, not to mention getting into an attack stance.

 **Kale:** "Uhhhhh. Gabby...?"

 **Gabby** (keeps her eyes on Kale's ankle) **:** "Shut up."

She taps her right forepaw lightly on Kale's ankle then brings it slowly back in the same way a person would aim before swinging an axe against a tree.

 **Kale:** "But, m-my legs _just_ got betta—"

 **Gabby:** "Shut up!"

The sharp and snapping tone she just used even makes Dillinger wince, but Emmy and Leo remain strong and continue to observe. Gabby pulls back her forepaw intently, and Kale grimaces in preparation for her to hit him.

Just when it seems that she will hit him, Gabby puts her forepaw down and says, "Just kiddin'."

Kale blinks in stupefied astonishment, unsure whether he is dreaming. When it's clear that he isn't, he lets out a long, barking laugh.

 **Kale:** "Ay dios mío...You's were just foolin' with me! Hahahaha—!"

The next instant, Kale gets the wind knocked out of him by Gabby's punch and he goes to his four knees. If that isn't enough, Gabby uses her pointer claw to slash a deep cut from the top of his head down to where his snout fur meets his leathery nose, creating a permanent and visible scar. Kale almost suffocates at being unable to scream in reaction to the pain his face just took. By the time he can breathe again, he lets out a long groan.

 **Gabby:** "Not entirely foolin' with you's. But we's even now."

 **Note** **: "Ay dios mío" means "Oh my God" in Spanish.**

 **Luciano** (to Leo and Emmy) **:** "You's just gonna let 'er do that ta our hermanito?"

 **Leo:** "Remember, Luciano, dat wolves don't forgive. We get even. And now Track has a scar he can show off to da ladies."

 **Kale** (while rubbing the side of his muzzle to soothe it) **:** "Eragh!" (Looks at Gabby) "N-no hard feelings, Gabby. Really, I mean it. And I desoived it for what I did ta you's, and for whatever repercussions dat had on our pack."

Gabby notes how Track has suddenly become a glutton for punishment, which was something he never was before.

 **Gabby:** "I believe ya, Track. And you's bet ya's sorry hide you desoived it."

 **Kale** (sternly and while leaning into Gabby's face) **:** "Rub it in anymore, and it'll be a just cause for me ta do da same ta _you's_."

Gabby furrows her brow at the sudden assertiveness Track had used to speak to her. And he's right, so she nods while humming "Hm," since speaking would have tempted her to say something she would regret. But Bugsy and Luciano are glad that their little brother has finally stood up to Gabby in a proper way. Apparently, his time being the prey animal family's slave driver has strengthened his will.

Wanting to change the subject, Bonnie says, "We was just talkin' about one of da long-term causes of what ya's failed hunt did ta our pack. We were attacked by da Rock-Busters, den had ta fight foxes and the Side-Winder Wolf Pack when dey tried ta take over our Areas 1 and 3. We won, of course, but I won't be able ta participate in many hunts for a while."

 **Kale:** "Why's dat?"

 **Bonnie** (blushes) **:** "I'm pregnant."

 **Kale:** "You're—! We-ell! Way ta go, Bonnie! You too, Clyde!"

 **Clyde** (rubs his chest with a forepaw in self-aggrandizement) **:** "Weren't nothin', kid." (Looks at Kale seriously) "So it's a good ting ya came back, 'cuz you's gotta fill in for Bonnie until our pups don't gotta be weaned no more."

 **Leo:** "Ta do that, you's need anoth'a coming-of-age hunt." (With steel behind his words) "And _dis_ time, _don't_ mess it up."

 **Kale** (slowly nods yes) **:** "I won't let any of you's down anymore. I mean it. My time with da prey animal family made me betta und'a'stand how prey critters think. For starters—"

 **Leo:** "You're hunt'll have ta wait, Track. We gotta tighten our hold on Area 3 before we try ta expand. You's also need da time ta think of a betta huntin' plan for ya'self."

 **Kale:** "I get ya."

 **Leo:** "So we've got Dillinger and Bugsy in on coming ta Area 3 for a meeting with our paisanos ta find out who's loyal and who isn't. Track volunteered too, and maybe ya's nose will serve as a good lie detector. We only need one more, so who else wants ta come?"

 **Capone:** "I'm sure dat my smarts will help me narrow down da suspects."

 **Leo:** "Good, so it's settled. We leave in five minutes, the rest of ya's will stay and guard our home. And Track? The rest of us have agreed not ta go blurting out dat Bonnie's expectin' pups, and make sure you's do the same. Word'll reach oth'a predators and they'll think Bonnie won't be in pique condition ta fight, which'll only encourage 'em ta try to attack."

 **Kale:** "Yes, Leo."

 **Leo:** "Now go do what ya gotta do ta get ready, folks."

The wolves break like a football team huddle, and Kale makes his way over to his brothers to ask them something that's been bothering him ever since he arrived back. With the exception of Gabby, the reception he has received has been too positive. He expected more insults (being called "Track" notwithstanding), a beating for ipso facto causing trouble in two of their territories, serious interrogations, and a test to prove he hasn't lost his touch. No one even talked about going to check on the family of prey animals he was with for three months to ensure they're really dead. So there _has_ to be a reason for it.

 **Kale:** "Luciano? Bugsy? Why is da pack treatin' me so well? I mean, Leo let me join in on da next mission without battin' an eye. Dare's somethin' goin' on, and I wanna know it."

 **Luciano:** "You really have gotten smarter, Kale. The reason da pack's not too mad at ya's and isn't treatin' ya's bad is 'cuz we told 'em to."

 **Bugsy:** "It wasn't easy ta convince 'em, though, even when we reminded 'em how da pack's observations of ya's proved you weren't a failure...*Sigh* We had ta make a deal with Leo."

Now Kale is really worried because making deals is Bugsy's specialty, and _he_ spoke with unease when telling him of a deal he made with his own godfather.

 **Kale:** "What'dya mean?"

 **Luciano** (points to himself then Bugsy) **:** "Us two made a deal with Leo for 'im ta let bygones be bygones in regards to ya's failure, and ta let you's take a more prominent role in da pack's 'business practices.' But ta do dat, we promised Leo that you's would improve ya'self twice as fast. If ya don't, then you _and us_ will be kicked outta da pack."

Kale gasps softly while widening his eyes, then says, "You's would be willin' ta risk ya'selves for me?"

 **Bugsy:** "It was dee only way, Kale."

 **Kale:** "I-I...Thank you. You's truly are my hermanos after all. Which reminds me, I'm sorry for bein' mean ta ya's when ya's tried ta bring me back. You's really _did_ care about me dat night, just like ya's proved now dat you still do—"

 **Luciano** (raises his paw in a stop gesture) **:** "Kale. We can't express enough the seriousness of this. No one in this pack expects you to improve more than Bugsy and me. If you don't become a true Bone-Chomper and get us three kicked out, we'll disown you."

Kale notices how Luciano didn't say a single slang word or use improper contractions, meaning his oldest brother isn't fooling around. Still, he can't help but feel betrayed.

 **Kale:** "Why would ya's make such a deal _without_ my consent? And what ever happened ta 'Family comes before da pack'?"

 **Bugsy:** "Well—"

 **Leo:** "Time for us ta go guys. Let's move out to Area 3."

 **Bugsy:** "I'll tell ya on the way, Kale."

Bugsy and Kale join in with Leo, Dillinger, and Capone, and the five wolves move out.

* * *

The terrain of the Bone-Chompers' puzzle-piece-shaped Area 3 is mostly flat, with numerous trees and a large creek running along its western border. It is 15 acres and home to numerous types of animals. Kale should have been full of pride and feeling like a bigshot as he walks through the territory and receives numerous gasps and shudders from prey animals, but is instead brooding about Bugsy's explanation as to why Luciano and he didn't consult Kale before the two older brothers made their deal with Leo.

They had to make it _before_ Kale returned because it would otherwise mean he'd get beaten and relentlessly chewed out by the rest of the pack for as long as it takes for him to prove he's a true Bone-Chomper. Kale was actually alright with that because he was in no mood to listen to anymore teasing, but wasn't okay with not having a say in the deal. Kale knew that his input would have helped work things out for the better of everyone. However, Bugsy explained that Kale's young age and "unseasoned" brain would have prevented him from making a sound decision. Kale was not only angry at the belittlement, but also because he didn't want Bugsy and Luciano's place in the pack to be put on the line along with his own. Now that it is on the line, Kale will be under more pressure than ever before to meet the codes of wolf society.

And the explanation as to why his brothers would willingly agree to a deal that involved disowning him for failure was even worse. Bugsy and Luciano told him about the ordeal they went through after the run-in with the late Rock-Busters, how it was truly Kale's fault for the injuries certain pack members suffered, and how it proved that Leo _is_ always right about everything; they really didn't want the latter to be true, but it is so, they can't argue.

According to Luciano and Bugsy, Leo being right even included how the Sniff-Tracker family's motto doesn't apply to the Bone-Chomper Pack. Therefore, as the best wolf pack in America, the pack's glory should come first before family. Admittedly, Kale had a similar revelation during his time with the hedgies where he affirmed he could never be a Sniff-Tracker and must become a Bone-Chomper to please his dead parents, but any fate besides disownment (and death) would be a better punishment for failure.

Then again, the reason they agreed to the prospect of disownment is because it would leave no room for failure, and Kale would _have_ to push himself as hard as he can to succeed now. Kale told Bugsy he would have done that without the fear being disowned, because he truly cares about becoming a true Bone-Chomper now that he has returned. But although Bugsy said he believed Kale (and that Luciano would agree too if he had come along), the rest of the pack, and especially Leo, needed a surefire way to make their pack ascend back to its original glory.

So there is nothing Kale can do except try—no, _do_ —his hardest and become a true Bone-Chomper just as he intended all along. Only now he'll have to grow sooner than expected. He shouldn't feel too blue, but for some reason he just can't shake off the weight of betrayal he is carrying in his heart. Why, after everything he and his brothers had talked about, and after successfully deceiving the whole pack of his improved abilities as a wolf, do his brothers still pick Leo's side? It's not right and he wants to make them realize their mistake, but if he is to become a real Bone-Chomper he needs to simply keep those feelings bottled up inside him for later. Right now he has to get his head in the game and pay close attention to how the other four wolves handle the situation, because they now arrive at the meeting spot where the paisanos are waiting.

Kale has been here before when he was younger as he observed Bugsy making the deal with the paisanos, but only now, after his three months of recovery time, does he realize the meeting area is identical to the main living space of the hedgies. The ground is flat, grassy, has a log in the center, and trees surrounding the perimeter. If those similarities weren't striking enough, the paisanos are composed of various types of animals, each with their own special abilities that give them ways they can be the perfect observers by land, water, air, tree top, and even underground.

By ascending to this level in **(1)** the Bone-Chomper Pack's extensions of will, they have each earned the honorific **(1)** title of "paisano." It fosters the illusion that the **(1)** prey animals present are family and thus makes them appear stronger to outsiders **(1)**. Unfortunately, appearance is not always the truth **(1)**. One of them at the circle is a **(1)** traitor.

Leo does not know why the traitor worked **(1)** against the pack s/he served, and he does not particularly care **(1)**. Everybody spies on everybody in this business, it is a given, but the fact that it is normal does not mean that you let it pass when you find it **(1)**.

Now, at the beginning of this meeting he has nine **(1)** paisanos. At the end of the meeting, he will have eight **(1)** paisanos. But first, the normal business of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack must be attended to and properly settled **(1)**.

 **Female Otter:** "Attention folks! Our bosses are here."

The nine paisanos stand up and salute. They don't move an inch and allow each of the wolves to come file in between two paisanos, one on the canines' left and the other on their right. The paisanos are already in a circle, and from a bird's eye view, Leo goes to the spot in the front, Bugsy to the right, Capone to the left, Kale at the bottom, and Dillinger gets behind Leo.

 **Leo:** "At ease."

The paisanos sit normally, their efficiency and obedience reminding Kale how great it is to be a wolf.

 **Leo:** "It's good ta see all'uv you's." (Sarcastically) "Hope ya've been doin' well, yadda, yadda. (Normal tone) "You know me, so let's cut dee intro. I will have your reports **(1)**. Paisano Milton?"

Milton is a male mole with black fur; a nobody like all the paisanos, which helps them blend in better with the rest of the prey animals in the territory. Unbeknown to Kale and his pack, Milton was an ally of the hedgies who had helped them during the "Return of the Sniffer Incident" several years ago. He had become involved with the Bone-Chompers when a shortage of his staple diet of earthworms ran low and he was desperate to find food. Wherever he went, other moles (as well as other animals that ate worms) were competition for his food source. Desperate, he sought the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack upon hearing rumors of how certain prey animals worked for them and got benefits. Bugsy made a deal in which the pack would guarantee Milton would never go hungry again, and Milton would do whatever the pack commanded in return. What Bugsy didn't mention was that the wolves' way of ensuring Milton never went hungry again was killing the mole family already inhabiting the best worm spot in Area 3. Milton was distraught when he discovered this, and was loathed by all prey animals in Area 3 for being under the Bone-Chompers' protection, which enabled him to hog the worms for himself. But he didn't complain because he now went to sleep every day with his belly full.

 **Milton:** "Godfather Leo **(1)** , the mole population here continues to check and repair your secret passage every night, makes sure the numerous entrances/exits never cave in, and keeps all subterranean creatures from inhabiting it. Those who dare try are dealt with by the venomous snakes. There have been four attempts this month, and each was resolved within 30 minutes. I must apologize, of course, for the recent and temporary takeover of the underground passage by the group of foxes, who used the tunnel during the day when all moles were sleeping. By the time night fell, they already controlled all of Area 3. But I am certain a mole wasn't the one who told the foxes about the passage, because my brethren here depend on my surplus of worms, that you so generously gave me, for their survival. They have no choice but to follow my orders, which are yours by extension."

Leo nods **(1)**. Milton would always be too much a coward to risk death by betraying his **(1)** boss. His whole species is that way **(1)**.

 **Leo:** "Paisano Kyle?" **(1)**

Kyle is a raccoon with gray fur, a black mask, and green eyes who was once a food-finding slave for a stoat who threatened to murder his mate and three daughters if he and his family didn't give the mustelid 50 percent of the food they obtained. When they failed to meet their quota a few weeks before winter, the stoat killed Kyle's oldest daughter and hunted the fleeing raccoon family who traveled through trees as much as possible to avoid the stoat. When the raccoons were forced to go on the ground to forage, the stoat tried to finish them off but was killed by Gabby who, like her mother, decided to make the mustelid her "special prey." Unlike Emmy, Gabby didn't give the stoat a chance to run before hunting him, she just killed him on the spot. Kyle's family couldn't hold back their gratitude and offered to do anything to repay Gabby for killing their tormentor. They accepted the deal to become paisanos, and have ever since been living a life free of predators from attacking them and keeping all the food they find. After his time with the hedgies, Kale now realizes that Kyle's relationship is similar to the one between RJ and Vincent, meaning the wolf might actually feel sad if Kyle turns out to be a traitor because it will be like killing RJ.

Kyle begins to rattle off his **(1)** meticulous jargon of statistics **(1)** and percentages of how the raccoon and possum populations in Area 3 haven't been taking more than their share of lesser animals for meals, and thus have not been eating the Bone-Chompers' food sources. Those who did were either banished or killed. Leo watches him, listening **(1)**. The godfather knows that Kyle is too smart to try to cross the Bone-Chompers **(1)**.

The raccoon finishes his report **(1)**.

 **Leo:** "Paisano Kaitlyn?" **(1)**

Kaitlyn the otter flashes a **(1)** sinister grin that seems to stretch ear to ear, and starts her recitation **(1)**. She tells the pack of how well the aquatic and amphibious animals that inhabit the creek in Area 3 have been doing in keeping the water as clean as possible, and in serving as the territory's first line of defense on the western border. She was most unsatisfied with the incompetence of the water-dwelling animals in their failed attempts to stop the foxes' invasion, and ordered the deaths of those she considered responsible—including their families, no matter how old or young the kids were—to prevent any future attempts at revenge. No prey animal in Area 3 was as evil as Kaitlyn, and her cruelty could give lessons even to wolves.

But she was not always like this. Out of all the paisanos, her story is the most complex.

 **Note: (1)=Based on _Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire_ by Steve Perry.**

* * *

She started out as one of the sweetest, most gentle, and admittedly naïve, otters in Area 3. She was a devoted mate and mother who didn't mind how her marriage was the antiquated husband doing all the work and the stay-at-home and submissive wife.

She had come into the Bone-Chompers' service as a result of a really bad day. One day when her mate hadn't returned from foraging 30 minutes after he said he would, Kaitlyn had left home to forage when she discovered her mate had been cheating on her with her best friend who had become pregnant with his new kids. If that wasn't enough, she returned home to find that a family of beavers had taken over her family's dwelling while she took so long to get back after discovering and divorcing her adulterous mate. The beavers had also beaten up her son and daughter when they tried to fight back.

The feeling of being powerless to do anything about her mate and the beavers in a way that would satisfy her anger drove Kaitlyn mad. As she and her kids wandered to find food, Kaitlyn was in such a bad mood that when Kale had shoved her out of the way while directing the Bone-Chompers on a hunt using his nose, which was the straw that broke her back, she cussed out and bit and clawed into the first wolf she could get her paws on—which happened to be Leo. Upon realizing just who she had harassed, she was asked what her last words were, and responded by welcoming death and ranted about how awful her life was. She demanded to be killed and stated that her only regret was that she wouldn't be able to finish off her husband, ex-best friend, and the beavers who took over her home. Intrigued, the Bone-Chompers decided that someone with an attitude such as Kaitlyn's would be more useful alive than dead, and agreed to make her wishes come true if she would swear allegiance to them. She accepted without hesitation, and no word could describe the satisfaction she felt at watching the deaths of those who had ruined her life.

Her kids were alright with the beavers' fate, but couldn't believe Kaitlyn would have their father killed, even if he was an unfaithful jerk. She tried to say she did it for all three of them, but even her kids knew that she did it only for herself, and called her out for it. Her son and daughter didn't want to stay with such a selfish and suddenly cruel mother, even when she tried to convince them that the Bone-Chompers would give them everything they could ever dream of. They ran away and never came back, leaving Kaitlyn alone.

However, the damage to her psyche had been done, and once she tasted the power that revenge had brought her, she never wanted to let that incredible feeling go. For anything...not even her own kids. She is now queen of the creek in Area 3, and keeps all the water-dwelling animals in line with the Bone-Chomper Pack's rules. And no one dares to walk all over her again; it is _she_ who walks all over others.

* * *

Because of this, Leo knows the otter has no ambition to rise any higher, and is content with her job and the status quo **(1)**.

One by one Leo calls for the **(1)** paisanos to speak, and one by one the rest of them do **(1)**. There is Wilbur the muskrat who assisted Kyle in keeping the inhabitants of the northern side of Area 3 under the thumb of the Bone-Chompers as a result of proving his loyalty to the wolves by killing his closer-than-brother cousin whom he had assisted in co-founding a prey animal resistance against their wolf rulers. Wilbur feared for his mate's and kids' lives and blew the whistle on the resistance group. His mate and children weren't too happy that he would sacrifice his own cousin, but had forgiven him instantly once they started to receive the lavish benefits of land, authority, and protection from the Bone-Chompers. They were living like royalty and loved it, not to mention they rubbed it in everyone else's faces. They could never hope to achieve that on their own, and certainly wouldn't want to give it up by betraying the wolves.

Next is Jessabelle the female raven who kept a literal bird's eye view of Area 3's avians in particular, and other animals in general. She had been saved by the Bone-Chompers from being killed while she tried to get revenge for the Rock-Buster Pack when they hired some squirrels to knock her eggs out of her nest. She had been blinded by vengeance and gotten herself in a situation she couldn't have escaped from alive. But when the Bone-Chompers saved her, she, her mate, and their five new raven chicks can live in true comfort and security...so long as they do the Bone-Chompers' bidding.

Arthur the male gray squirrel had once been the reason many prey animals in Area 3 were able to avoid the Bone-Chompers when the wolves were on the hunt before they controlled the territory. But after being threatened with death by Jessabelle, Bugsy, who had been on the ground following the raven, ordered her to stop and offered the squirrel a chance at "redemption." Arthur and his family now do the exact opposite of what he did before: serve as scouts for the Bone-Chompers' hunts.

Cliff the male skunk joined the paisanos when his will had been broken from living in constant fear of Dillinger coming to kill him in retaliation for spraying the wolf. The Black Wolf Ghost never told Cliff when it would happen, and the paranoia and anticipation was too much for the skunk to bear. He was willing to do _anything_ to stop the stress that kept him awake for weeks. Threats of his stink proved to be quite useful in keeping marauding predators away from Area 3's southern border, and keeping that place's inhabitants from doing anything the Bone-Chompers wouldn't like.

Morgan was the biggest weasel of a weasel there ever was; always scamming and scheming others in ways that benefited her alone. She also had a knack for selling out animals to predators, and when many prey animals banded together to kill her, she offered her services to the Bone-Chompers who, having heard of her exploits, agreed to kill her pursuers. Always sagacious, Morgan works in tandem with Jessabelle in discovering just how loyal prey animals really are in Area 3's center portion, and is responsible for the deaths of many who had been unfaithful, which is a price she considered well worth paying for the protection of herself, her mate, and unborn children.

And last, there is Harry the eight-point male deer who had been a "pet" of sorts for a wolverine far up north. The wolverine had been Harry's secret friend during their toddler years, but once the young fawn and kit learned about the laws of predator and prey, the mustelid's outlook on their relationship changed. He couldn't bring himself to kill his friend (but never told the deer that), but he did make Harry his servant, and the deer had no choice but to obey or else get eaten (again, not knowing the wolverine wouldn't actually do it). A few years into when the relationship changed from servant to slave, Harry decided he had had enough, and killed his ex-friend in his sleep. He traveled far and wide and found a herd that suited his needs in Indiana. The herd was a popular target for wolves and other predators, but this group of deer could effectively fight back thanks to their smart and strong leader. Harry placed his full trust in his friends to keep him and his mate safe, but when Harry's mate went into labor while the herd was fleeing the Bone-Chompers after losing their leader, the other deer decided to leave Harry and Sonya to get eaten by the wolves while they fled away to safety. Feeling betrayed and extremely bitter, Harry decided it was better to serve under other predators than to live among his own kind, and helped the Bone-Chompers hunt down his herd.

Though considered a supreme traitor to his species and all prey animals, Harry and his family take comfort in the protection the Bone-Chompers provide, and help keep tabs and order on the western side of Area 3. All the while, Harry can—and often has—ended the lives of those who ever call him or his family "wolf pets." Demonstrating he has a dry sense of humor, he insists to such arrogant prey animals that he be called a "goon," and makes them realize that just before they die from his sharpened antlers.

It takes ten minutes for all the paisanos to give their reports, which are satisfying to say the least. It is hard **(1)** for Leo to believe any of his paisanos would be so foolish **(1)** to betray him and his pack; after all, one could not get to this elevated position without years of loyal effort **(1)**. And yet here it is **(1)**. Life is full of treachery **(1)**.

 **Leo:** "A final item on our agenda, my paisanos. One of ya's number has seen fit ta use his or her standing ta betray us **(1)**.

He lets them sit and worry for a few moments **(1)**. Then he nods at **(1)** Dillinger. His most trusted **(1)** hitwolf begins to walk around the seated paisanos **(1)**. They all have their own **(1)** ears, and they all know at least what Leo had allowed them to find out about the traitor—not much save that there is one **(1)**.

 **Leo:** "Not content with da **(1)** prestige he 'r she has made by my largesse, dee **(1)** food, land, protection, and authority dat all of you's indulge ya'selves in, this... **(1)** animal has dishonored da title of paisano." **(1)**

Dillinger strolls behind the seated paisanos slowly **(1)**. Leo watches them **(1)**. Those who can, sweat or flush, or otherwise show signs of fear they cannot hide **(1)**. And although Dillinger keeps his facial expression blank, he is indulging in the fear that Kale swears the Black Wolf Ghost seems to be feeding off of. Meanwhile, Kale is also using his nose to smell who is giving off the most fear, which will determine who the traitor is. Dillinger passes Kaitlyn, Wilbur, Jessabelle, reaches the other end of the circle and goes around it **(1)**. Having done something like this before, Kale blinks once to let Dillinger know who is clean, and will blink twice to indicate who the target is. Furthermore, Capone double checks Kale's silent confirmations by giving Dillinger a nod.

Leo continues speaking, slowly, evenly, betraying nothing in his tone **(1)**.

 **Leo:** "Dare are **(1)** prey animals among ya's ranks who would cheerfully **(1)** murder dare own families ta be given such an opportunity as you have all been given. Ta be a paisano of the Bone-Chomper Pack is ta enjoy more power dan all but a handful of animals in dee entire world." **(1)**

Dillinger passes Arthur, passes Kyle, passes Harry, then Milton. Pauses a moment behind Morgan **(1)** when Kale blinks with his right eye and then his left, just as Capone gives an angry expression while nodding. Tension thickens in the **(1)** meeting space, becomes almost tangible **(1)**. Leo thinks that is a nice touch **(1)**. However, Morgan is nobody's fool and would never risk herself as a **(1)** traitor. No, the weasel has ambition enough for ten; _she_ would go for an all-out coup **(1)** , not a simple betrayal. Having Dillinger pause behind her lets her know Leo will be keeping an eye on her **(1)**. A warning that she should think long and carefully before trying to climb her lofty plateau to the top of the mountain **(1)** that is the spot of the most favored paisano. Unsurprisingly, that currently belongs to Kaitlyn, and the female otter uses two fingers to point at her eyes then at the weasel to silently say she'll be watching the mustelid too.

The Black Wolf Ghost wolf saunters past Cliff, then Arthur **(1)**. After seeing Kale blink and Capone nod, he stops behind Harry the deer **(1)**.

Leo smiles **(1)**.

Harry tries to stand, but Dillinger is incredibly fast **(1)**. He latches his mouth onto the spot where the chin meets the neck to prevent the Cervidae from using his antlers in defense. Dillinger also ferociously starts clawing the rest of Harry's long neck. The deer makes a sound like a grunt, bleat, and gasp combined, the noise becoming fainter and more infrequent the longer Dillinger's hold is maintained.

A long time passes and none of the paisanos move **(1)**. When Harry is **(1)** dead, Dillinger releases him, and he falls forward; his head thumps loudly upon the **(1)** ground.

 **Leo:** "I will accept nominations for a new paisano now." **(1)**

Nobody speaks for a moment, and Leo keeps his **(1)** muzzled face bland **(1)**. A pity about Harry; of all the paisanos, he was one of the **(1)** most formidable. But **(1)** after being the slave of one predator, it only makes sense that he would eventually grow tired of serving under other predators and seek for a way out. However, a paisano who tries to leave his/her area is considered the same as outright betraying the Bone-Chompers, so helping the foxes take over Area 3 would have provided Harry with the perfect chance to run away.

Leo looks at his paisanos again, waits for them to speak **(1)**.

Here is an object lesson they will certainly remember **(1)** : crossing the Bone-Chompers means death **(1)**. Never forget that **(1)**.

 **Note** **(1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire**_ **by Steve Perry.**

* * *

Kale kept his feelings hidden, but both the meeting with the paisanos and killing Sonya along with her five-year-old daughter had unsettled him. Normally it wouldn't, since he has killed many times before. However, the various animals that were the paisanos, their histories, and the place in which the meeting took place was like a reflection of the various types of animals, the pasts, and the living place that the hedgies had. So to Kale, killing Harry and his mate and daughter, was the closest thing he will ever experience to killing one of his former caretakers. And _he_ was responsible, because his nose detected the scent of fear that only came when someone is afraid of being discovered as a traitor.

The only thing that erased the feeling of discomfort was how good it felt to eat fresh, live meat again. Kale doesn't think it tastes as good as refrigerated meat, but the warmth of live meat was something he can never get enough of. Sadly, he couldn't enjoy too much of it. Even though he was pretty hungry, he didn't eat a lot because his pack members might question how he could be that hungry after he theoretically ate 33 prey animals. He had to keep the charade going, for his sake as much as the hedgies'.

After finishing their business in Area 3, Bugsy opted to take his little brother for another meeting with a snake from Area 1, which the two are on their way to see right now.

 **Bugsy:** "Ya gotta see how ta intimidate oth'as and reaffirm deals ya've made in a one-on-one setting."

 **Kale:** "I did somethin' like dat already with the prey animal family."

 **Bugsy:** "True, but you's had a hostage dose times. And as good as ya did then, you's were still in the beginnin' stages. I'm showin' ya how experts do it, without hostages."

 **Kale:** "So should I hide and watch, or ya want me ta be with ya?"

 **Bugsy:** "Hide and watch."

 **Kale:** "Sí, hermano mayor."

 **Note** **: "hermano mayor" means "big brother" in Spanish.**

A few moments pass before Bugsy speaks again.

 **Bugsy:** "So how'd dey taste? Dat family who treated ya's wounds?"

 **Kale:** "Delicious...'cept for da skunk and 'er hybrid offspring. And I just buried da parts of the porcupines I couldn't swallow."

 **Bugsy:** "How'd ya get the drop on 'em?"

 **Kale:** "Killed 'em in dare sleep, of course."

Bugsy stops walking, faces his brother, and eyes him suspiciously while asking, "Weren't dey sleepin' in da trees?"

 **Kale:** "Oh yeah. Somethin' dat happened when da pack wasn't evesdroppin' on me, apparently, was when I told 'em how hard it was ta be a wolf and all da downsides about my life. I did it ta give dee impression dat I was a tragic n' tormented soul who only needed love back in my life. Dey fell for it, of course, and got comfortable enough ta sleep in da log with me."

 **Bugsy:** "Emmy's latest observation of ya said ya lorded 'em over while defeating a bear. How did they go from acceptin' ya to hatin' and fearin' ya again?"

Kale raises his eyebrow at an inconsistency that could be real trouble for him if his answer isn't smart. Fortunately, he thinks of a fool-proof answer and says it as if he anticipated his brother's question all along.

 **Kale** (with an attitude) **:** "Dat talk happened _after_ da bear. And why're you's askin'? Don't ya trust my word enough, _hermano mayor?_ "

 **Bugsy** (puts a forepaw up in defense) **:** "Hey, hey. Obtener un apretón, hermanito. All wolves're supposed ta be great at lyin', and I wanted ta ensure—da whole pack wanted ta ensure—that you's weren't lyin' to 'em whenever they came ta observe you."

 **Note** **: "Obtener un apretón" means "Get a grip" in Spanish.**

 **Kale:** "But why would I ev'a do that ta _you?_ Really?"

 **Bugsy:** "I'm just bein' sure is all. You don't think we haven't noticed how fed-up you's can get with livin' in da pack? You's don't think ya's own brothers _haven't_ noticed?"

 **Kale:** "Well...You and Luciano showed you's did when ya tried ta bring me back home, and then agreed ta take me back to da prey animals. But one of da reasons I was so harsh on da prey was 'cuz I could finally let out all'uv my negative feelin's I've been holdin' in."

 **Bugsy:** "It's und'a'standable, given you's age. But you've proven how mature you can be, and now must be mature about bein' okay livin' back in a pack where you's ain't da top dog anymore."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, I know."

 **Bugsy:** "And I'm sorry for da interrogation. Just remember I'm just as worried about myself now as I am for you's ever since makin' dat deal with Leo."

Kale nods and the two continue on their way in silence. A few minutes later, when they can hear the sound of a running creek, Bugsy uses a forepaw to tell Kale to stop and hide in a bush located off to the side that will give him a good view of everything, to which the teenager obeys. Bugsy goes forward to the creek bed, swims across it, and starts scaling up the hill made of boulders on the opposite end. He stops halfway up (20 feet) and puts his muzzle close to a small gap that's too small for anything besides a snake to squeeze in and out of.

 **Bugsy:** "Hey Willy-Will! It's you's ol' pally-pal, Bugsy-Wugsy! Come on out an' have a chat, man."

 **Voice:** "I really wish you'd call me, 'William.' Willy-Will just sounds ssssso kiddie-like."

 **Bugsy:** "I referred ta myself as 'Bugsy-Wugsy' ta balance it out. You're welcome for doin' that. But we's gotta talk about business; know what I'm sayin'?"

 **William's voice:** "Yesss. Very well."

Bugsy backs up and allows the three foot long snake to emerge from his dwelling. William is a northern copperhead and has numerous dark brown hourglass-shaped patterns lining his predominantly light brown-colored body. His eyes are golden and his reptilian slit pupils are black.

 **Bugsy:** "Let's head ta solid ground, deese heights give me da heebie-jeebies."

 **William:** "What'ssss wrong, Bugsssy? Need to have an advantage in case thingsss don't turn out as you'd like them to?"

Kale sees the brief widening of his brother's eyes and knows that it can only mean the snake has a good idea of what this meeting is really about. But proving that he is an intelligent wolf, with years' worth of deal-making experience, Bugsy finds a compromise.

 **Bugsy:** "How 'bout we still go down ta ground level, but you's get ta stay on top of a boulder."

William flicks his forked tongue once and smiles when it retracts back into his mouth.

 **William:** "Worksss for me."

The canine and reptile get down and sit at the spots they agreed on. Kale notes that the snake's spot is in the perfect altitude and distance with which to strike, and William's venom will only take one bite to kill Bugsy. At the same time, Bugsy can easily attack the reptile with a bite or claw slash, and knowing Bugsy's strength and speed, it will be a one-hit-kill as well. Alternatively, William can crawl into a small hole in the boulder, and Bugsy has plenty of room to dodge. It's a win-win situation for both animals as they can both land fatal blows, counterattack, and flee. This is undoubtedly the first thing Bugsy would want Kale to know if he ever conducted his own business meeting in the future: even the odds for both parties.

 **Bugsy:** "So how's it been goin'? Gimme the short version, though, I'm kinda inna hurry."

 **William:** "Alright. The kidsss are doing well, and they're living with my former mate. Food hasss been good in quality and quantity, and I've lately been ssseeing a really nicccce lady sssnake."

 **Bugsy:** "Good on ya, Willy-Will. I've been doin' alright too. My pack's been makin' some real progress in restorin' our damaged reputation, my lil' bro returned ta my pack today, we reestablished our hold on Area 3, and now I' gettin' ta talk ta you's."

 **William** (sarcastically) **:** "Glad I can help make your day."

 **Bugsy:** "It's not just lil' ol' me you's'll be helpin' out, it's dee entire Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack."

 **William:** "Everything I do isss in ssservice to your pack."

The subtle upturn of the right side of Bugsy's muzzle lets Kale know that Bugsy has been waiting for William to say something like that all along. Or is it William who is directing the conversation now? Whatever the case, Kale is now on the edge of his nonexistent seat, but his brother seems calm as can be. There's another lesson: don't let your business partner know of your unease, and maintain your poker face at all times.

 **Bugsy:** " 'Course it is. Dare's no doubt dat someone like you's, a fellow predator, would disappoint me and my pack in da slightest." (Extends a forepaw to the side in a friendly manner) "I'm just here ta—"

William lunges forward with lightning-fast speed with an aggressive-sounding hiss, His fangs are extending outward to their fullest length and already dripping venom to ensure he _will_ score a venomous bite. Kale is't too surprised. He noticed the conversation's shift, and being a snake, it is only natural that William would be sneaky and devious.

But this snake isn't sneaky enough.

Bugsy has not only been expecting William to attack him, he has been _counting_ on it. The wolf knew that if he kept talking, he'd give the serpent the impression that he would get caught up in a monologue like a cliché dumb movie villain, thus unintentionally providing William an opening for a surprise attack. But this isn't a movie and Bugsy isn't dumb.

Anticipating that the snake would attack when it appeared as if Bugsy would go off on a tangent—as indicated by the raising of his forepaw—the wolf ducks with the same quickness as the snake strikes. The snake was aiming for his face, so Bugsy doesn't have to lower his already-raised right forepaw. In fact, he uses that appendage to grab the snake by the neck. Using the serpent's momentum Bugsy slams William into the ground face-first, then does it again and again.

* * *

Watching from behind the bush, Kale recalls when Mary had pulled a fast one on Bernard; letting him make the first move, keeping herself talking, and then following up with her own plan to defeat him by using his own tactic against him.

Kale blinks in surprise.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Why can't I stop thinkin' about 'em?_ "

He knows he has to, if he wants to remain in his pack. Kale is fully aware that if the truth were to ever get out—that he willingly let the hedgies fix him up, intentionally deceived his pack about how he ruled over them, found them as the closest thing to a loving family he has ever had since his parents had died, and lied about killing them—he will be banished from all wolf society. Moreover, if he can't stop thinking about them, he will miss them and want to go back to them, which will only increase the risk of the truth getting out.

 **Kale thinking:** " _If you's do ever think about 'em again, just remember how ya's own knowledge about da world of prey animals will help you's become a betta wolf._ "

He ends his thoughts there and redirects his attention to Bugsy who is still pummeling William on the ground like a toy.

* * *

The sound of William groaning deliriously is the cue for Bugsy to stop, so he brings the snake up to eye level. He continues holding William by the neck with his right paw, which prevents the reptile from biting the wolf, and has his claws from the left paw close the snake's throat.

 **Bugsy:** "You done messed it up, didn't you's?!"

 **William:** "I didn't messss up! I jussst didn't want you to kill me after I gave the map to you!"

 **Bugsy:** "Dat wasn't on my agenda...Never was. But now I know you's tried ta commit _premeditated_ murder, looks like my plans've changed a bit, if ya's know what I mean. You can give me what I's came for and live without my pack's protection, or you can die."

Bugsy leans forward and regards—with growing satisfaction—the other animal **(1)** in his clutches. The feeling is a kind of satisfaction that comes just before even stronger, more pleasurable feelings: the savoring of triumph and the satisfaction of one's appetite **(1)**. He can almost taste them, like the sweet saltiness of blood leaking through his **(1)** canine fangs.

 **William:** "Are you _crazy_? I thought you wanted to do _businesss_?" **(1)**

 **Bugsy:** "Dat's what dis is." **(1)** (Raises his left claws a fraction of an inch higher) "Consider it my final offer." **(1)**

 **William:** "You _are_ crazy." **(1)**

The look Bugsy gives causes the blood in William's veins, never warmer than the surrounding **(1)** temperature, to suddenly chill **(1)**.

 **William:** "Look...let'sss think about thisss."

 **Bugsy** (even tone) **:** "Dare's no need to **(1)**. It's a straightforward proposition **(1)**. Hand over da **(1)** map of da route you's discovered dat'll make my pack's next attempt at expandin' our territory more successful, and I won't kill ya's **(1)**. What could be fairer dan that? **(1)** Mutually rewardin' as well: I'd have what I's came for, and you'll still be alive **(1)**. Even if you's wouldn't be und'a the Bone-Chompers' protection anymore, dat's betta than dying."

The gears in William's head slowly start moving again **(1)** when he speaks.

 **William:** "But...but look at the chanccce you're taking **(1)**. I don't have what you're talking about right here on me **(1)**. I mean, I'm a sssnake I don't have anything to carry it with besssides me wrapping around it like a boa constrictor, which isssn't my style. And even if I could carry it, you think I'd haul **(1)** a valuable piecccce of paper around with me? No way." **(1)** (Shakes head vigorously) "I've got it well hidden, sssomeplace where nobody elssse would be able to find it." **(1)**

 **Bugsy:** "Whatev'as been hidden can be found again." **(1)**

 **William** (words starting to come out faster) **:** "Maybe ssso, but not without a lot of sssearching **(1)**. And that would take time; time that you don't have right now **(1)**. You sssaid it yourssself, just a couple of minutesss ago, you came here in a hurry **(1)**. That mussst mean you've got to get your pawsss on that ssstuff real quick. You kill me now, and that'sss not gonna happen **(1)**. You'll be ssstuck here **(1)** in this 20-acre foressst, rooting through every possssible place that I could have ssstashed the **(1)** map. And maybe you won't ever find it **(1).** Think about that." **(1)**

William gives a quick nod, his **(1)** flicking tongue almost brushing against the pads on **(1)** Bugsy's forepaw claws.

 **William:** "Then what'll you do? **(1)** You won't be getting any help from me, if I'm already dead." **(1)**

 **Bugsy:** "Good point." **(1)**

Despite his agreement, the wolf's claws remain where they are **(1)** up against the snake's neck, Bugsy's paw is unwavering **(1)**.

 **Bugsy:** "But not good enough. Do da math, William. If I kill you's now, I might indeed have only'a small chance of findin' what I came here for **(1)**. But all your chances'll be over **(1)**. What's inconvenient for me will be terminal for you's." **(1)** (Flexes his claws that are a centimeter from unleashing their **(1)** shearing power) "Dare's nothin' left ta discuss **(1)**. So, what's it gonna be?" **(1)**

The darkly shining nails in the other **(1)** paw mesmerizes William **(1)**. He has looked straight at death before—in the life of an animal, it is a regular occurrence—but never with such certainty as now **(1)**. The pulse in his veins seems to stop, along with time itself **(1)**. William's throat has gone dry as the **(1)** Sahara Desert. Even though he's being held tightly, his body slumps down.

 **William:** "All right...I'll..." **(1)**

The next words catch in his throat as though they are too big to dislodge **(1)**.

 **William:** "I'll go ahead and..." **(1)**

If the snake had fists on the tip of his tail, they would be digging ragged grooves into the **(1)** dirt beneath him. For a moment longer William remains paralyzed, then he finds himself slowly shaking his head **(1)**.

 **William** (flatly) **:** "No I won't. I won't do it." **(1)**

Bugsy's claws don't move, but a minute fraction of surprise sounds in his voice as he says "What did you's say?" **(1)**

 **William:** "You heard me." **(1)**

William's heart is racing now; his vision blurred with the increased pressure for a moment, then he manages to bring Bone-Chomper Bugsy's image into focus again **(1)**.

 **William:** "I'm not going to do it **(1)**. I'm not going to give you the map I found **(1)** from a human hunter."

The reptile raises up his **(1)** slender body and uses his tail to point to where his heart is located, offering an additional target **(1)**. When he speaks, there is a certain elation that comes from his words; William feels absolutely free for the first time in his life **(1)**.

 **William:** "Go ahead and **(1)** ssslice me. I don't care **(1)**. That'sss how you alwaysss won before **(1)**. It was becaussse you didn't care whether you lived or died, or whether you won or lossst **(1)**. Ssso you alwaysss wound up sssurviving, and you alwaysss won." **(1)**

Bugsy's dark gaze remains as steady as his claws when he says, "Spare me **(1)**. I won 'cuz I had more **(1)** strength, and brainpower, dan you's or anyone else **(1)** I fought did **(1)**. Dat's what matters **(1)**. Nothin' else." **(1)**

William finds himself smiling in genuine pleasure even though he knows he might very well be enjoying the last few seconds of his life.

 **William:** "Well not thisss time **(1)**. You know, I really should've figured thisss out before **(1)**. But better late than never, amiright?"

 **Bugsy:** "Wrong. Goodbye, William. You always were a loser."

Bugsy raises his left paw and aims for the hapless snake's throat. Before he can attack, Kale's voice, as he comes out from his hiding place, distracts him.

 **Kale:** "Don't do it, Bugsy! We's can still get what we need from 'im."

Bugsy turns around and talks to his brother as Kale comes across the creek.

 **Bugsy:** "I'm handlin' dis, Kale. Dis is how the pro's do deals when their supposed business partner decides not ta honor the deal."

 **Kale:** "I know he has ta be punished for tryin' ta kill ya and for refusin' ta help. But if our pack's not only gonna make a comeback, but also become more prestigious dan ever before, den we _need_ his help. He's more valuable ta us _alive_ than dead."

 **Bugsy:** "With dat nose'a yours, you can track his scent to da map in no time."

 **Kale:** "Dat can't happen if dare isn't a map at all."

Bugsy shouts "What?!" at the exact moment William gasps and widens his eyes, the canine not being the wiser of the snake's actions that have exposed the reptile's scheme.

 **Kale:** "He was lyin' ta ya about havin' a map. I smelt the mixture of anxiety, tension, and confidence dat critters emit whenever dey lie coming from William."

Bugsy turns to the snake in his right paw, giving William a death glare while doing so, and slowly asks, "You's...Were... _ **Lyin'**_ ta me?"

 **William:** "No—"

Bugsy squeezes the snake's throat, hard.

 **William:** "—Arrgh! *Cack* O-okay, yesss. I wasss lying. I don't have the map with me _physssically_ , I memorized it and have it in my brain. That was my acccce in the hole. Ssso if you kill me, you'll never find the hidden path, and I won't agree to any proposssal that doesssn't involve me sssurviving."

As he spoke, William's voice was straining the whole time as Bugsy retained an uncomfortable hold on his throat even after the wolf loosened his grip a bit after the reptile had said "yes."

 **Bugsy:** "We can find ya's divorced mate 'n kids and—"

 **William:** "Go on. I don't care about them anymore. That ungrateful and literal sssnake-in-the-grassss mate of mine wasss only usssing me. All she ever wanted from me wasss to give her kidsss. And my ssspawn chose to live with her inssstead of me! You killing them would get rid of them for me without me having to get my non-exisssting handsss dirty."

 **Bugsy:** "Ya see why we gotta, kill 'im, Kale? See why ya's plan won't work?"

 **Kale** (to William) **:** "We could always go ta ya's new gal-pal instead."

Bugsy raises his eyebrows in amazement at his brother's attention to detail and devious means to an end, whereas William widens his eyes in fear.

 **William:** "Y-you wouldn't dare."

 **Kale:** "Show us da path you's memorized so well inta you's head, and we'll let you and ya's girlfriend live. Oth'awise, we kill her and force you ta watch!"

Bugsy smiles while nodding in appreciation.

 **William:** "You'll never find her!"

 **Kale:** "I beg ta differ."

Kale walks up and starts sniffing William, causing the uncomfortable snake to exclaim, "Get outta my persssonal ssspace you creep-weirdo!"

 **Bugsy:** "Shut up, Willy!"

He bops William on top of the head with his left paw, causing the reptile to grunt "Ow!"

 **Bugsy:** "You's brought dis on ya'self!"

Bugsy nods at Kale who continues sniffing William, all of him, up and down. The process takes 30 seconds, and when Kale is done he says, "You saw 'er yesterday...at her den...located a mile away to da southeast...inside da roots of a fallen tree...where you's two shared a chipmunk for dinner. Then for dessert you's...Well, let's leave _that_ detail out. But you's get where I'm goin' with dis."

William begrudgingly nod yes twice and says, "Yeah...You know where to find her."

 **Kale:** " _Exactly_ where ta find 'er. So if you's don't want nothin' bad ta happen to 'er, you's'll show us to da path you's found. Do this, and we'll let you and ya's girlfriend live."

 **William:** "I alssso want your pack to continue protecting me."

 **Bugsy:** "You's lost _dat_ privilege when ya's lied ta me—!"

 **Kale:** "We'd be happy ta continue keepin' you's and ya's gal-pal safe."

 **Bugsy:** "What—?!"

William gives a toothless grin at the younger and more lenient wolf.

 **Kale:** "And inna token of goodwill, we'll let you's go and lead da way."

 **Bugsy** (in rising anger) **:** "Ka-ale! Tú pendejo! Te has vuelto completamente loco, idiota sin cerebro?!"

 **Note** **: Bugsy said, "Ka-ale! You stupid person! Have you gone completely crazy, you brainless idiot?!"**

Kale ignores his brother's insults and focuses instead on William, who sticks his forked tongue out at Bugsy in insult. Kale comes up to the snake and wraps one paw hard around where his lungs are and the other paw where the stomach is, giving them a hard squeeze.

 **Kale:** "Try anythin' funny and I change my mind! Comprendè?"

 **William:** "Y-y-ye-esss."

 **Kale:** "Muy bueno. And we're gonna be on you like white on rice, breathin' down you's neck the whole way ta make sure you don't try ta lead us astray."

 **Bugsy:** "Although I'm glad you's aren't goin' soft like I thought you's was, you still realize he could try ta bite us while we're close to 'im, right?"

 **Kale:** "Of course, bro. But don't worry, I gotta plan. Keep holding him."

Kale goes over to some vines, breaks one off, and comes back to Bugsy. The older sibling sees—and likes—what Kale is thinking, and lowers the snake in his paw as Kale sits down to free both of his forepaws. Bugsy temporarily squeezes the snake's throat again in order to keep William occupied with something while the wolf uses his left paw to press down on the top of the reptile's head, preventing him from being able to open his mouth. Kale wraps the vine around William's mouth and secures it with a knot.

Kale takes the end of the three foot vine in his mouth, making it look like a wolf is walking a snake on a green leash. He approaches Bugsy with the vine, holds onto it using the right side of his mouth and then talks out of the left side.

 **Kale:** "Want thish?"

 **Bugsy:** "Nah, it's you're plan. You get dee honor."

 **Kale:** "Kay." (To William) "I could'a used a _thorny_ vine, but trust you ta keep ya's word."

Bugsy walks in front of William and says, "Lead da way, Willy-Will. And no tricks, or else..."

William nods fearfully at Bugsy, looks forward, sighs at how embarrassing it is for him having been reduced to a house pet, and slithers forward.

A few paces later and Bugsy asks, "Where'dja learn ta tie a knot from, lil' bro?"

Kale decides to hold the vine with his right forepaw and walk on his three other legs in order to speak normally.

 **Kale:** "Remember dose boy scouts we saw tyin' knots in da woods when ma 'n dad were still around?"

 **Bugsy** (embarrassed) **:** "Oh, yeah. I've been tryin' ta forget that."

 **Kale** (in humor) **:** "Heh-heh, 'cuz Luciano dared you's ta mark the scout master's tent, not knowin' dat he was out answerin' nature's call. And when he came back and saw you's doin' the dare, he chased ya around with a tree branch with leaves on the end dat he put in da campfire!"

 **Bugsy:** "Yeah...He singed off a chunk'a my fur on my left flank, and da flames spread to the right one..."

 **Kale** (trying not to laugh) **:** "Leavin' ya's bare-butted for a month!"

 **Bugsy** (more positive tone) **:** "But I got my revenge on Luciano a few months later when I told 'im where the hole that da weasel we was chasing went down. Haha, it was dee entrance to a hornet nest in da ground! And all dat yellin' Luciano did ta make the weasel come out only aggravated the bugs and made 'em sting him real good!"

Bugsy and Kale start literally howling in laughter. He really enjoys the talk he just had with Bugsy. It lets the teen know that despite all the changes that have happened to him and his brothers over the years, that they are still brothers. They still love each other and cherish the memories they had in their youth, which for Kale were the best times of his life.

 **Kale thinking:** " _No...not even my childhood can compare ta my time with RJ's and Verne's family, 'cuz I was free from da codes of wolf society with dem._

" _But that was den, dis is now. Keep ya eye on da prize and become a true Bone-Chomper...for your sake and ya's brother's sake._ "

However, that's easier said than done, because he owes his ingenious plan of showing mercy to William—instead of doing the more logical wolf-solution of letting the snake get killed by Bugsy—to the hedgies. They are the ones who taught him that leaving someone alive can be just as, if not more, favorable for everyone involved. That's what they did to Vanesa, that's what they did to the prey animal mob, and that's what they did to him. He has yet to personally witness if the first case will turn out beneficially, but if the other two cases are any indication, odds are it will.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Just make sure_ you _take credit for what they've taught you's. Dare's nothin' wrong with dat._ "

It's true. He doesn't feel guilty for it and it will help him be more successful in the future.

He continues following William's lead, noting all the nearby markers that will help him and his pack remember how to get to the hidden path into their next target for territorial expansion.

 **Note** **: Based on** _ **Star Wars: Hard Merchandise**_ **by K.W. Jeter.**

* * *

By the time William had finished showing Kale and Bugsy up and down the secret path—which is a tunnel of sorts through a seeming dead end in which the top and sides are made of briars and fallen trees—Kale thinks that if Fate was in the form of a vertebrate organism, Fate would be laughing its rear off. The hidden path leads into the woods by the Elysian Fields Estates. If that's not enough, Kale is able to smell the scent of the hedgies roughly 60 yards from the end of the hidden path. Fortunately, Bugsy's and Kale's focus was the hidden path itself and not anything beyond it. But if he is to keep his and the hedgies' secret safe, he decides he will need to give them a warning once he can come back here alone.

As promised, Bugsy and Kale freed William from his makeshift leash and let him go his own way, with the vow of continued protection from the Bone-Chompers in effect.

Still feeling cheated in regards to that last part, Bugsy talks to Kale when the snake is out of earshot.

 **Bugsy:** "Why was ya so merciful, Kale? The codes of wolf society would've been fulfilled if I killed dat snake and his girlfriend after he showed us what we wanted."

 **Kale:** "We got what we wanted, didn't we? Now we know of a hidden way to get a good foothold inta dee territory of my failed hunt, which _I_ wanna lead. And as for Willy, he got ta live and won't get in our way ev'a again. He owes me for savin' his life, so if he does try ta betray us in any way again, I'll be in my full right ta kill him. Somethin' I learned from da prey critters was teachin' dee important lesson of how I can giveth, and how I can taketh away."

 **Bugsy:** "As a wolf it's in ya's right ta kill anything, whenev'a you want, and especially when others go back onna deal from dee onset."

 **Kale:** "True, but I think we'll benefit more with a _living_ animal owin' our pack a favor, dan tryin' ta get a favor from a dead animal."

 **Bugsy:** "Only time'll tell if dis new deal'a yours benefits our pack." (Slowly and serivously) "But until den..."

Kale locks eyes with his older brother.

 **Bugsy:** " _ **Don't**. Mess. Up_."

 **Kale:** "I won't. I used a lotta effort ta get dis for our pack, so I care about makin' it count for somethin'. Everything I do, it's for our pack, you's and Luciano, and lastly me."

 **Bugsy:** "Good on ya, Kale. Now dat I know you's mind is in da right place, lemme tell you's what I personally think about your accomplishment today..." (Takes a breath) "You's did an AWESOME JOB! C'mere, hermanito!"

Kale happily gives Bugsy a high-four, then one down low, followed by a double fist bump, and closing with an "Arriba!"

 **Bugsy:** "Now let's head back home and give da pack da good news!"

Kale wants to volunteer to scout the path just in case Leo agrees to let him lead the hunt that will use this passage—as an excuse to discretely go see the hedgies and warn them about the advantage that the Bone-Chompers now have. However, he decides against it because he's afraid that will rouse too much suspicion from Bugsy. Not to mention it would be better for Kale to wait and see if Leo agrees so that he has his godfather's go-to to scout ahead for real, whereby he can warn the hedgies without the fear of being followed since the scouting part of a hunt must be done alone by the wolf leading the hunt.

So Kale follows Bugsy back through the pathway and is most pleased with the warm reception he gets when he tells his pack of how well his plan worked. Most noteworthy, Dillinger actually smiled for him, and Gabby actually apologized for giving him his scar.

Not all was sunshine and roses, though, because he also found out how Leo, Luciano, Dillinger, and Capone had searched the hedgies' log after finishing their business in Area 3, and that Bugsy's job was to take Kale to William so that his little brother wouldn't complicate the other wolves' inspection. Fortunately, the wolves found the log abandoned, with fur that had been ripped out, three bloody and empty turtle shells, porcupine carcasses with the quills still attached that they dug up, and dried blood in the area. Naturally, Kale was distraught with how his pack doesn't fully trust his word, but at the same time, the respect that the others are starting to give him is a welcomed change.

As expected, Leo gave Kale authorization to scout a hunting path that he will use to finish his coming-of-age hunt. The godfather said he had earned it for securing the secret passage, not because Kale was his godson and needed another shot at redeeming his hunt. So like usual, Kale has to earn his perks, but now the teen is more determined than ever to get better because his brothers' places in the pack are on the line too.

But there are others involved in this now, and he can't leave them in the dark. It goes against the codes of wolf society, but Kale himself feels he has to do something to ensure the survival of certain creatures he cares about. As Stella had said, " _Just keep in mind that you still owe us. We're the ones who helped you, not you're pack._ "

Kale owes his life and mental sanity to those creatures. He is obligated to warn them. They may have fooled his pack with the blood that was squeezed from packaged meats, and the turtle shells, fur patches, and porcupine quills that were taken from the animal trophies of a resident of the Elysian Fields Estates who was a hunter. But more will have to be done to ensure their survival in the coming days.

And that would turn into months, maybe years, if the Bone-Chompers succeed...and Kale is equally obligated to ensure they do.

* * *

In the woods past the Elysian Fields Estates, the hedgies have arrived at their new dwelling—a deep burrow used by Rainer the badger's family—after pulling off another successful heist.

 **RJ:** "Alright, gang, excellent job as always! We got more than enough food to last until we have to move to our next homes for the rest of the week."

 **Bernard:** "But daddy...I played possum when the humans said they would skin me alive, and made Aunt Penny and Uncle Lou have to rescue me, which put everything we stole in danger..."

 **RJ** (kneels down to look his son in the eyes) **:** "True. But listen to me, Bernard, we all make mistakes. Hearing someone threaten to filet you is scary even for an adult like me. You just have to remember that you're part raccoon and can scamper away quickly. Just keep doing your 'training' and I'm certain you'll conquer your fears."

 **Lou:** "And thankfully those human were fat and couldn't get to you before Penny and me."

 **Penny:** "And no one blames you one bit."

 **Mary:** "I—" (Changes tone after seeing her mother give her a sharp glance) "Um, even I don't, little brother." (Thinking) " _Not. Scaredy-boy._ "

 **Verne:** "It's just like RJ says, you're only going through a phase like many kids your age would, but it'll pass with time and practice."

Everyone nods, which makes Bernard feel all better again. The young oposaccoon is also grateful for being blessed with such a great father.

They all liked RJ **(1)**. There is something about him that seems so natural and so attractive **(1)**. Maybe it is **(1)** his craftiness, or his playful yet serious demeanor. Maybe it is because he seems like a nice guy **(1)**.

Whatever it is, Verne was the one who appreciates RJ more than anyone else, mostly because of how the reptile first viewed the raccoon. RJ had seemed like nothing more than a **(1)** hotshot schemer when they'd first met, and pretty quick to let others know what a terrific **(1)** know-it-all he was, too **(1)**. It wasn't until later **(1)** , in a breif conversation on the night when the wagon load of food they had obtained had been destroyed in an explosion, that Verne realized that was just a public mask **(1)**. Not the fur around his eyes, but rather a façade behind which RJ hid so nobody would know how much he really cared **(1)**. That was cemented when he risked his life to save them from Dwayne and Vincent in the morning, and he has been showing that part of himself more openly ever since joining the family.

Verne's thoughts are interrupted when he and everyone else smells the scent of someone familiar—someone who they thought they'd never see again.

They turn in the direction of the scent and their faces brighten when they see none other than Kale standing 15 feet away.

 **Hedgies in unison:** "Kale!"

 **Kale:** "Heh-heh, hey guys."

 **Hammy:** "You're back!"

Hammy is about to zoom over to hug the wolf before the others do the same, when Kale puts up a forepaw in a stop gesture.

 **Kale:** "Don't! My pack'll smell ya's scents on me and know you's're alive."

 **Verne:** "He's right."

The others let out a collective "Awwww," in disappointment, but understand what Kale means. Still, it doesn't stop the questions.

 **Rick:** "What're you doing back?"

 **Emma:** "Did your pack kick you out?"

 **Ozzie:** "You're not being followed, are you?"

 **Kale:** "Easy folks. I'm not bein' followed."

 **Penny:** "Phew, that's a relief. And—jeepers, what happened to your face?!"

The others now notice the deep cut running down Kale's muzzle, so fresh that a fresh scab has recently just formed on it.

 **Kale:** "Oh, dis scar?" (points at his scar) "Gabby, my godsister, gave it ta me for settlin' da score of how I got her ankle broken when I shoved her during my failed hunt."

 **Christine:** "What does it the look like?"

 **Ty:** "It looks bad."

 **Mary:** "It looks scary!"

 **De'Ausha:** "It looks like it sho hurt when you got it."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, all'uv you's are right. And it still hurts. But it's nothin'. Really. This doesn't even come a fraction to the beat down I received durin' my initiation inta the pack."

 **Annette:** "Beat down?"

 **Kale:** "They beat me so I won't break **(2)**. It's common not only in wolf packs, but in human gangs too. It's a test'a stamina and endurance. The idea is dat once I've suffered through the beat down, da most painful experience I'll ever face is behind me. Dat way, if I die from the teeth or claws of anoth'a predator, I can die with my dignity, and I'll be remembered for dat."

The hedgies look at each other in shock, and then look at Kale in confusion.

 **Velma:** "That doesn't make any sense."

 **Kale:** "How so?"

 **Velma:** "We've had this talk already. When you die like that, you die like any other animal. No one remembers you for anything."

 **Kale:** "Dey do if you're a wolf."

 **Verne:** "Kale, the true test of dignity is how you live, not how you die."

 **Kale:** "I..." (In a sigh) "Uh, why're you's always right?"

 **RJ:** "Why did you forget about the things we discussed when we had our best talk with you?"

 **Kale:** "Oh, yeah. My wolf-conscience, remember? I gotta abide by the codes of wolf society more dan ever now. My pack's accepted me back in with no hard feelin's—minus Gabby's scar—and will let me take a more active role in things. But I _have_ to improve sooner dan I thought, or else me and even my bro's will be kicked outta da pack."

 **Hammy:** "That sounds so unfair!"

Kale smirks in dry humor at how random yet on-the-ball the squirrel can be.

 **Kale:** "You have no idea...But you's don't got the time ta feel sorry for me anymore, just like I don't got the time ta feel sorry for myself. I'm here ta warn you's about somethin's."

The forest family leans forward, heeding the wolf's serious tone as they are prepare to listen to something enlightening, and ominous.

* * *

Kale tells them about the secret passage the Bone-Chompers have found, and what it means for them and all prey animals living in area. He also tells them of the hunting path that he will lead his pack in the near future.

Next, he tells them—conflicting as it sounds—not to warn others besides their closest friends who live along the hunting path, because if there aren't enough prey animals who get caught off-guard in the coming hunt, then the Bone-Chompers will know someone in their ranks squealed. And since it will be on the hunting path that Kale will map out, he'll be the primary suspect.

Finally, he tells them of his commitment to ensure his pack succeeds. He doesn't want himself or his brothers to be kicked out of the pack, and definitely doesn't want to be disowned, not after everything he and his brothers have overcome and sacrificed. As soon as he rejoined his pack, he became a real wolf again, not the guy they healed and bonded with. That guy is dead. There can be no holding back or deceit, he truly has no other choice.

When Kale finishes, the omnivores are scared, and a good number want to tell the wolf that there is always a choice. But RJ, knowing first-hand what it's like to be forced to go along with a predator's orders, uses his authority in the family to seal the pact. The last thing they need is to make this more complicated than it already is.

 **RJ** (while walking forward to Kale so that he's in front of his family) **:** "That's...very sad to know." (Stops walking) "But we understand." (Turns around and looks at the family) "Right?"

The others reluctantly nod, their hearts already heavy with the guilt at how they have no choice but to allow many fellow prey animals to die. But they, like Kale, know there is no other way. And the fact that Kale is risking his neck to inform them of this is further proof that he is a changed wolf.

But even Kale doesn't inform them of the entire path he intends to use for his next hunt, because to quell any further doubts his pack has of him lying about killing the hedgies and going soft toward his pack's enemies, he must ensure this hunt will eliminate some personal enemies his pack has been wanting to kill for a while. Luciano and Dillinger want to kill Mark the flying squirrel; Leo wants to kill Brooke the beaver; and Kale wants to kill Ladarius's mom and dad. Each of those animals caused the wolves to fail in some way, which proves they could be a true threat to the pack. Common sense, not just the codes of wolf society, deems it necessary to remove those threats, so this won't be petty revenge like the kind that the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs allowed to lead to their deaths.

With the codes of wolf society back in his mind full-force, Kale cannot spare those individuals, and he doesn't _want_ to, either.

As Kale walks away with a heavy heart of his own, he tells himself that no matter how much he has been through with the hedgies, he will always be a wolf. He will never kill any of them, but he also cannot deny his species' lineage. The hedgies will undoubtedly hate him for killing some of their friends, but Kale has no choice but to prove himself a success to his godfather and pack members.

Soon, very soon, there will be a reckoning, and there will be death.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire**_ **by Steve Perry.**

 **(2)=Based on the movie** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **.**

* * *

 **As before, I'd like to give a special thanks to MTV studios making the movie _Freedom Writers_ , and authors Steve Perry, K.W. Jeter, and, Michael A. Stackpole for writing their novels that provided me with incredible opportunities to enhance my own story. I claim no ownership of the marked phrases, and kept them unaltered (with the exception of adding in "paisanos," those animals' names, and the emphasis on the S's) because to change them would make them lose their efficiency.**


	10. Casualties of War

**Chapter 10: Casualties of War**

It's been three days since Kale's warning, and Stella's family is having a talk with Ladarius's family at the hedgies' current home, which is located far from the hunting path Kale had described. Things are going well for the skunks, as Jordan, Ahniyah, Stella, and Tiger are just starting to find a middle ground to clear up the tension that exists with how Ladarius's parents and siblings can't get over the fact that the hedgies had been taking care of the wolf that tried to eat their son.

 **Stella:** "You owe Mary, Tyler, and Plushie your son's life. They came up with the plan to use the tree to stop the wolf pack. The least you can do to show your appreciation is to not take your harsh feelings out on anyone in our family."

 **Ahniyah** (nods yes) **:** "Particularly your daughter, De'Ausha, who didn't wanna take care of him..."

 **Jordan** (rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment) **:** "Yeah, we really jumped the gun with that."

 **Tiger:** "People say and do illogical things when they are shocked and angry. But like we said, we chose to take care of the wolf because of how miserable his life was."

 **Stella:** "And we helped him overcome a lot of personal issues he was havin'."

 **Jordan:** "Yep, I remember what you told us a few minutes ago." (Shakes head in pity) "That kid had some demons..."

 **Stella** (nods yes) **:** "The main thing we learned from his time with us was just how hard predators' lives really are."

 **Tiger:** "And that he and us prey animals aren't so different after all."

 **Ahniyah:** "Right again. We was all judgmental that night, and forgot that _everyone_ has problems in their lives, not just 'prey animals' like us."

She and her whole family nods in agreement.

 **Jordan:** "Anyway, now that we on the same page, Ladarius? Girls? You can play with De'Ausha if you feel like it."

 **Ladarius and Lakeisha in unison:** "Yes!"

Ladarius runs over to the equally excited De'Ausha and the two embrace.

 **Ladarius:** "Thanks, dad!"

 **De'Ausha:** "Thanks, Mr. Jordan!"

 **Lakeisha** (to Markasia and Shaniqua) **:** "Why y'all not joinin' us?"

 **Shaniqua:** "Well, we may not have any harsh feelin's for De'Ausha's whole family fo harborin' a wolf..."

 **Markasia:** "But we still need mo' time ta come to terms with how De'Ausha lied to us before we wanna hang out again with our gur-friend."

 **Ladarius:** "Aw, come on! You two had over a month ta get over it—"

 **Ahniyah:** "Der, if your sisters need more time, then they need more time. Don't fault 'em for that. Same goes for you, Lakeisha."

 **Lakeisha:** "I didn't say nothin'."

Ahniyah's raised eyebrow as she huffs "Hm" in a sarcastic manner makes Lakeisha sigh and slump down at well her mom knows her mind.

 **Ladarius** (to Stella and Tiger) **:** "But won't that wolf and his pack come back to finish y'all off?"

 **Stella:** "Nope. So long as we keep movin' every day for the next two months, we'll be safe. Besides, he's got better things to do now. And even if he did come by, we'd smell his scent and scatter before things got dicey."

 **Tiger:** "Just remember, young Ladarius and Lakeisha, to come visit _us_ , not have our Princess come visit you."

 **Ladarius and Lakeisha in unison:** "Yes, Mr. Tiger."

 **De'Ausha:** "Enough of this, let's go play monkey in the middle!"

 **Ladarius:** "First we need ta decide—"

 **Lakeisha and De'Ausha in unison:** "Not it!"

 **Ladarius:** "Oh, you buncha sneaks!"

The girls giggle and then go with him to a spot where they can start playing using a ping pong ball from RJ's golf bag.

 **Shaniqua:** "We're sorry, Mrs. Stella and Mr. Tiger."

 **Markasia:** "But we just can't—"

Stella walks up and puts a paw on Markasia's shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze, and Tiger does the same to Shaniqua.

 **Stella:** "We know. What we did wasn't exactly the definition of 'sane.' "

 **Tiger:** "Take as long as you need to come to terms with our family's decision. And know that Princess De'Ausha will be waiting for you."

That really lightens the two girls' spirits, and they go to hang out with the porcupine triplets.

* * *

Meanwhile, Roger, Tyler, Pluhsie, Mary, and Bernard, are having the time of their lives playing tag with Jeff the duck, Martha the mink, Tabitha the shrew, and Mark the flying squirrel. In an odd turn of events, Hammy isn't participating but is rather taking on the role of the adult supervising the kids to make sure things don't go off the rocker. The reason is because he wants to practice doing more responsible things in order to impress Scarlet whom he has yet to get back with. His speed is just as useful in keeping an eye on the players as it is if he himself was among them. But so far, no one has done anything that has caused a problem, and the red squirrel doubts something like that will happen.

Currently, Tyler is It, and Bernard, Tabitha, Mark, and Plushie have made it to the safe zone where they can't be tagged. That leaves Mary, Jeff, Roger, and Martha to try to stay away from him as they try to make it to the safe zone too.

Mary screams in surprise when Ty comes out from the other side of the tree she was using for cover and almost tags her. The oposaccoon is so shocked that she actually plays possum. Since tagging her while in that state wouldn't be fair, Ty has no choice but to go after someone else. He intends to get Martha when he sees her running toward the safe zone at a distance and angle that would allow Ty to easily intercept her, but then who else but his older brother goads his sibling toward him.

 **Roger:** "Pick on someone your own size, Ty!"

The flare of sibling rivalry thus ignited, Ty says, "You made me do this, Roger!"

The raccoon twins then turn the game into a mano-a-mano match. Roger climbs up a tree, knowing Ty will follow in close pursuit. When he is five feet up, he jumps to the ground. To his surprise, Ty is _waiting_ there for him, and tags Roger who can only stand still and be dumbfounded.

 **Roger:** "How?... _How?!_ "

 **Ty:** "Better try a new trick, 'cuz that one's getting old!"

That snaps Roger out of his trance, and he runs after Tyler. It doesn't take long for the younger sibling to reach the safe zone where Martha and Jeff are already waiting. Roger turns around to try to locate Mary, but the oposaccoon makes it when his back is turned.

 **Hammy:** "Game over! Roger, you're It for the next round."

Roger walks over slowly to Tyler, and the other players step out of the way to avoid getting caught up in the inevitable fist fight and shouting match.

Hammy notices this and says, "Roger...Don't you dare do it!"

Roger ignores Hammy, and even Tyler starts walking toward his big brother. They get within an arm's reach of each other, which is too close for Hammy to get in between them, and stare hard. The tension is high as the onlookers wait to see who will make the first move.

Roger snaps his paw forward—

—And gives Tyler a pat on the shoulder.

 **Roger** (while grinning) **:** "Smooth move, Ty. I'll need to think of some new moves next time."

 **Ty:** "Thanks, Roger."

 **Roger** (slyly) **:** "You better watch your back from now on when I'm It."

 **Ty:** "I will, and you do the same if you can tag me and I become It. And I _do_ mean 'if.' " (Winks)

 **Roger:** "Heh! We'll see." (Winks)

Hammy and the other players let out a collective sigh in relief at how things didn't turn out the way they had feared.

 **Tabitha:** "Way to go, guys! You didn't get in a fight like you normally do."

 **Plushie:** "Their parents have been working on reducing their rivalry, and now it seems to be working."

 **Roger:** "I'm ready to start when y'all are!"

 **Youthful male voice:** "Oh, I wanna join in!"

 **Youthful female voice:** "Me too! Me too!"

The kids and the adult turn and see Richie the raccoon and Brooke the beaver running excitedly toward them. Everyone smiles and is ready to affirm the raccoon's and beaver's intents—all but one.

Tabitha pushes her way to the front of the crowd and points aggressively at Richie and Brooke who stop when they see the shrew.

 **Tabitha** (in rising anger) **:** "What. Are. YOU TWO doing here?!"

 **Richie:** "We wanna play tag with you and the others."

 **Brooke:** "Ever since Mr. RJ and Mr. Verne explained to our families how the wolf they were taking care of isn't as bad as we originally thought, we're allowed to play with—"

 **Tabitha** (shrieking) **:** "GO AWAY! NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE!"

 **Jeff:** "Easy, Tabitha—"

He reaches over to put a wing on Tabitha's shoulder to help calm her, but the shrew smacks it away.

 **Tabitha:** "Don't 'Easy Tabitha' me, Jeff!" (To Richie and Brooke) "You two _devils_ nearly killed me!"

 **Richie** (slumps down in guilt) **:** "We know, and we've said we're sorry every time we see you. I'm the one who started the fight that led to you almost falling down a waterfall."

 **Brooke** (speaks in guilt) **:** "And I'm the one who shoved you into the creek in the first place. And again, I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive us?"

 **Tabitha:** "NO! You don't deserve to be forgiven! What you did was unforgivable!"

 **Roger:** "Tabitha...All they wanna do is play with us."

 **Plushie:** "If it'll make you feel better, we can have them be It so you can beat them."

 **Tabitha:** "That's not good enough! (Glaring at Richie and Brooke) "Your parents should've punished you harder! And should have grounded you for life, you murderers! I HATE you! Go away, FOREVER!"

 **Hammy:** "Quit being mean to them, Tabitha!"

 **Martha:** "Yeah. Even if you can't forgive them, that doesn't give you the right to be so cruel to them."

 **Tabitha** (screaming up at Martha) **:** " _You're_ not the one who almost got killed by their stupidity! You don't understand what it's like to almost die from drowning _and_ falling into sharp rocks!" (Takes a deep breath) "Mary and Bernard are my new _best_ friends, they and Plushie saved my life!"

 **Brooke:** "But Richie and I feel worse every time you don't forgive us."

 **Richie:** "Can you imagine how horrible that feels? It hurts us physically."

 **Tabitha:** "Good! It's what you both deserve!"

 **Mark:** "What will it take for you to forgive them, Tabitha?"

 **Tabitha:** "I'm NEVER forgiving them! And I won't play with them, ever again!"

Richie and Brooke lower their heads in defeat and start to turn to walk away.

 **Bernard:** "Well, _I_ wanna play with them."

Richie and Brooke turn back around with a sense of small but renewed hope in their eyes.

 **Mary:** "Me too. This is the first time I've seen them in over a month."

 **Tabitha:** "WHAT?!"

 **Jeff:** "I want them to play too."

 **Martha:** "Me three."

 **Roger and Ty in unison:** "Me four."

 **Martha:** "Me five—er, wait." (While pointing at Roger and Ty) "Is it five or six, since you two...? (Looks at Tabitha) "Um, I want them to play with us as well."

 **Mark:** "So do I."

 **Plushie:** "Same here."

 **Tabitha:** "How...can all of you...say that after what they did to me?!"

 **Bernard:** "Because we've forgiven them. And you know why? Because they've become nicer ever since that horrible accident."

 **Ty:** "And you _know_ they didn't do it on purpose, Tabitha. It _was_ an accident."

 **Mary:** "My brother and I were the ones they were beating up and making fun of. which led to the whole mess. If we can forgive them, why can't you?"

 **Hammy** nods at the oposaccoons then looks at Tabitha with a big, warm smile and says, "Forgive and forget, easy as that."

 **Tabitha:** "It's not easy for me. It's _impossible!_ I'll never forgive or forget what they did!"

 **Roger:** "You don't even have to for them to play tag with us. All you have to do is play the game."

 **Tabitha:** "I won't play with them, or ANYONE while they are around!"

 **Mark:** "But we've all voted that we want them to play, which is eight against one."

 **Tabitha:** "You're willing to choose them over me?!"

 **Martha:** "What're you talking about?"

 **Tabitha:** "Either all of you play with me and not them, or you play with them and not me!"

 **Jeff:** "Why're making us choose?"

 **Tabitha:** "Ugggghhh! FINE, if you're not willing to side with me, you're true friend, and wanna side and play with a pair of murderers, then I'm leaving!"

 **Mary:** "Tabitha..."

 **Tabitha:** "Leave me ALONE!"

The shrew lets out a loud huff and runs off, leaving everyone in a state of shocked silence. Who'd have thought Tabitha would absolutely lose it like that? The things she said...Not only were they not right, they were just plain messed up. But the kids figure they just need to give her time to cool down, and then, when she's ready to talk some more, they can see if she's willing to forgive Richie and Brooke. It's not like she can hold a grudge forever. Right?

In any case, they overcome their surprise in two minutes and let the fun they have with their two new and improved friends lighten their spirits. With Richie's creative imagination and Brooke's determination and strength, the game of tag is one of the most fun they have ever played.

At 5:30PM, the kids go home when their parents arrive to bring them back. As they leave, the hedgie kids take time to reflect on how much better their lives are now that their closest friends no longer hate them. All the hedgie parents had to do was explain what a tortured soul Kale was for their friends to understand. Their friends vowed to keep that a secret too, and promised to never be so judgmental of predators ever again...

Until something happens at 7PM that evening...Something that will leave no one's lives the same.

* * *

This time, he won't fail. This time, he'll make the correct decisions. This time, he'll be patient. This time, he will think of the pack instead of himself.

This time, Kale will prevail.

He and his pack (including Bonnie who's too early in her pregnancy to be slowed down) have finished coming through the secret passage that completely bypassed the neutral playground zone, and puts them just northeast of the center of a 60 acre section of forest. The path Kale mapped out will take the Bone-Chomper Pack in an encirclement (or pincer move) to where the most bountiful sources of food and water are located. Controlling those will allow the wolves to pick out their new paisanos—Kale can imagine dozens of prey animals who will be willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their most valuable sources of food—and also put the Bone-Chompers in perfect position to make themselves known to the majority of the prey animals, and execute anyone foolish enough to resist.

Unlike human wars where controlling the areas of countries that have the utmost political, industrial, and military significance, clever marauding predators in the wild gain control of new territories by cutting off the locals' access to sustenance. After all, all living creatures on the planet have one primal yet basic need to survive: the need to feed. Shelter, reproduction, relationships, and entertainment are mere add-ons to that one need.

 **Leo** (whispering) **:** "Remember: Don't. Mess up, Track."

 **Kale** (nods) **:** "Yes, Leo. All'uv you's, follow me. Capone, Dillinger, Gabby, Luciano, and Leo take the left flank. Me, Emmy, Bugsy, Bonnie, Clyde, and Nelson will take da left. Move quietly and avoid as much killings as you's can until we get ta our target."

As the others obey and fan out in formation, Kale muses about Leo's earlier remark.

 **Kale thinking:** " _'Track'...It won't be long now before they'll stop callin' me dat—No! No, no, no. Mind on da mission._ "

Kale can't think of the rewards he will receive when he succeeds, because even that would jeopardize his hunt like it did last time. Had he kept his thoughts on the current situation instead of trying to make his vision of the future come true, he would have succeeded then. So he shuts those thoughts away, along with his kid-conscience trying to remind him how he wouldn't have met the hedgies had he succeeded the first time.

The wolves move swiftly and stealthily, taking great care to go around the prey animals that are in their path, or wait for the tree-dwellers to turn their heads, and the ground-dwellers to move away before the canines advance forward. There's no fear of prey animals picking up the Bone-Chompers' unfamiliar scent, because after Kale asked how his pack evaded his nose during their observations of him, they all killed more prey animals in their territories and rolled around in the fresh carcasses to mask their wolf scents.

Speaking of scents, Kale's nose tells him that the pack is now moving in the area where he recalls the hedgies were staying in. Fortunately, they have already moved to a new home, and used some scent remover spray from RJ's bag to cover their traces. That eases Kale's nerves, and he can resume fully concentrating on his hunt.

Forty yards later, and Kale orders the pack to stop when they hear someone talking. But not just anyone...It's Barbara and her mate Mack talking to their son Mark, Mark's older brother Austin, and little sister Melanie.

 **Mack's voice:** "Okay...So none of you kids will try to sneak off for a midnight snack, _again_ , your mom and I will let you find some more food right now."

 **Mark's, Austin's, and Melanie's voices in unison:** "Yes!"

 **Barbara:** "But _we're_ coming with you. Don't want you kids to take too much."

The siblings groan, but then collectively say, "Yes mommy and daddy."

Kale looks over to Luciano and Dillinger who are itching to move in and kill the family. But since Kale is in charge of the hunt, they need his permission before getting their revenge. Since wolves have a great sense of hearing, Kale (and anyone in the pack) can whisper softly and still be heard clearly.

 **Kale:** "Don't even teenk about it, you's two."

 **Luciano:** "But dare _whole_ family is there. It's the perfect opportunity."

Dillinger nods while licking his lips to emphasize his hunger for vengeance.

 **Kale:** "Gettin' da new territory is our main objective, _not_ revenge."

 **Luciano:** "We'll make sure it's quick and quiet so dey won't sound an alarm."

Kale has no doubts about that, but with his and his brothers' place in the pack at stake, he decides to use a threat to end Luciano's and Dillinger's ambitions.

 **Kale:** "We can't risk it, hermano mayor. And I'm sure Leo will kick you's outta da pack, and not me, for ruinin' dis hunt. You can grill me later, but dare will always be anoth'a chance for you's two ta get revenge. Dat goes for myself if I see da skunks, and even you, Leo, if you see dat girl beaver. We gain the territory, we can hunt 'em all down whenev'a we please."

Luciano's eyes widen at how his little brother just used the deal Luciano and Bugsy made with Leo to blackmail him.

Leo gives a one-sided grin at how Track's time with the prey animals has made him more devious and assertive than ever before. Maybe the kid won't screw up after all.

 **Leo:** "He's right, guys. It's his hunt. Obey him, or get kicked out."

Luciano and Dillinger sigh and focus on going around Mark's family undetected. They succeed and keep moving for another four minutes, until they hear the sound of flapping wings coming from above. They all hit the deck and don't move a muscle.

"Hoo, h-hoo-oooo."

A male great horned owl flies down, his appearance causing a nearby female gray squirrel to yelp and scurry down the tree she was currently climbing, facing the opposite direction of the wolves. She knows her best bet is to get inside a thick bush so that the owl's own feather's and bulk that will keep him from getting her.

In her panic, the squirrel doesn't notice the Bone-Chompers as she runs perpendicular in front of them upon reaching the ground, and the owl is too fixated on his intended meal to notice them too. The bird's talons extend forward, ready to grasp the prey hard. The owl is oddly fast despite his large size, but his hunger outweighs his intellect. The squirrel makes it inside the bush a full five feet in front of the owl, the latter realizing too late that he should start slowing down.

The avian crashes into the bush, the thick leaves and stems functioning like a very stiff fishing net that catches him and keeps him from reaching the inside. Some of the stems have also pierced into the owl's wings, and a good number of his feathers come out when he pushes himself away from the bush.

 **Owl:** "Ouch! *Gasp* My wings! Aw, shoot! Sassafras! Confound it! Fluffernutter! You'll pay for this, tree-rat! I'll get you! You gotta come out from that bush sometime!

 **Female gray squirrel's voice:** "Don't count on it. I buried an emergency supply of nuts under here so I can use this place as a predator shelter!"

The owl scowls and is about to turn away and go somewhere to tend his wounds, when a voice from behind says, "Need some help, pally?"

The owl turns his neck 270 degrees and gasps at Bugsy who is standing behind him.

Bugsy muses " _Ugh...It always creeps me out how owls can turn their heads around like that,_ " but doesn't let his discomfort show when he speaks.

 **Bugsy** (whispering) **:** "Relax, bud, me n' my pack are here ta help. And keep ya's voice down, will ya."

The owl turns his head around at the sound of Nelson's voice telling the squirrel "You squeal, you die," and discovers the Bone-Chomper pack has surrounded the bush, thus cutting off any route for the rodent to retreat.

How this came to pass was that, during the owl's rant and the female squirrel's explanation, Kale saw an opportunity and gave Bugsy a wink and head motion to go to the raptor. He then used paw motions to point at the bush and silently tell the others to surround it.

In spite of the help, the owl is very suspicious; who wouldn't be when there are wolves around?

 **Owl:** "Don't call me 'bud,' or 'pal.' I just met you. And what do you mean by 'help me'?"

 **Bugsy:** "You's a fellow predator of the night, like me and my pack. Dat means we's all on da same side."

 **Owl:** "Says you."

 **Bugsy:** "Lemme cut to da chase. Without ya's feather's, you'll have a tough time flyin' for a while. Other owls will also get more of ya's food too, puttin' you in risk of starvation. You gotta eat ta survive, so how's about we make a deal."

 **Owl:** "Not interested. I don't trust wolves."

 **Bugsy:** "We'll help you get da squirrel. Our paws can slip right through those stems and leaves."

The owl raises an eyebrow.

 **Owl:** "You'd do that for me?"

 **Bugsy** (grins internally) **:** "More dan that. We'll help give you's food until you's fully healed. Aaa-aaaand, if you play ya's cards right, we'll ensure you's'll get da best food, shelter, and be under our pack's protection if ya's help us gain some territory in dis here nick of da woods. You'll never have ta go hungry again, and ya's enemies will fear and respect you's."

The owl widens his already wide eyes as the offer is too enticing to pass up. However, proving that he is a wise owl, he asks warily, "What do you and you're pack get from me in return?"

 **Bugsy:** "You'll have ta swear allegiance ta us, do whatev'a we tell ya to, and promise ta never, ever betray us, or we'll kill you's."

 **Owl** (uncertain) **:** "I..."

The sound of growling stomach makes the decision for him.

 **Owl** (in reverence) **:** "I'll do it."

 **Bugsy** (extends his right forepaw) **:** "Den we have a deal, Mr..."

 **Owl:** "Hunter is my name, Mr...?"

 **Bugsy:** "Bugsy. Bone-Chomper Bugsy."

Hunter extends his right wing and shakes Bugsy's paw. The wolf then nods at his pack, and Nelson easily moves inside the bush. The female squirrel only has a nanosecond to scream "Ah!" before a small snap sound emits from the bush. When Nelson pulls himself out, he holds the dead squirrel in his mouth by the scruff of her neck.

Nelson tosses it to Hunter and says, "Sorry 'bout killin' her before you could, but if we're gonna take over dis territory, we gotta do things as quietly as possible. Know what I'm sayin'?"

 **Hunter:** "You're good, as long as I finally get my first meal in two nights."

The wolves wait for Hunter to finish eating, and when he is, the owl asks, "So is there any way I can help you succeed in your invasion? I might only be able to fly for short bursts, but I can still use those to attack something."

The wolves look at Kale, who thinks things over for a few moments and says, "Distract any prey critters who get in our path."

He tells Hunter the path he will continue to lead his pack, and of the prey animals he knows that live along it. When finished, the owl nods.

 **Hunter:** "I'll go on ahead, boss."

The wolves give him a three minute head start, then Kale nods and the pack moves out.

The teenager smiles. He already secured the Bone-Chompers' first paisano in the territory. That'll bump up his standing in wolf society, especially if he succeeds in gaining the land, which he fully intends to do.

Kale has only two thoughts about the recent deal he made possible by refraining from killing the owl out of the fear that Hunter would become competition for the Bone-Chompers' food in the area.

 **Kale thinking:** " _The need ta feed truly drives everything._ **Everything** _ **.**_ "

* * *

Thanks to Hunter's incessant complaining about his wings and pretended hunger, which diverts the attention of many a prey animal and other predators—the latter of which are dealt with by the Bone-Chompers—the wolves' advance into the area with the best food and water sources is a piece of cake.

Kale could empathize with Luciano's and Dillinger's disdain for not being allowed to exact revenge when the pack bypassed Ladarius's family's dwelling, but otherwise stuck to the plan of gaining the new territory first. And to do that, stealth is no longer a viable option.

The large 50 acre section of forest in front of where the Bone-Chompers are taking cover behind tall grass is full of fruit shrubs, plump and juicy insects, and vegetable patches that would satisfy the needs of all animals whether carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore. And of course, many of those three types of nocturnal organisms are in the area which is basically an all-natural grocery store. There are too many prey animals and lesser predators in the area for the wolves to take over that portion land without being noticed. But that too, is part of what Kale had intended. He and the pack got to enjoy their smooth run of remaining hidden during the hunt, but they will need to fight in order to gain it by right of conquest.

The wolves who have a bone to pick with certain prey animals are also in luck, because the families of Mark, Ladarius, and Brooke are among the multitude of animals eating a late night dinner. Upon discovering this, Kale, Luciano, Dillinger, and Leo give silent praise to whatever deity wolves believe in. Luciano and Dillinger in particular praise Kale for making them wait, because what would have been an opportunity only for those two to get revenge has now become an opportunity for every wolf to get vengeance, while also removing the few prey animals who bested them.

Even so, those wolves will continue to obey Kale's orders spoken to the whole 10-member pack before they split up so that they are now currently surrounding the entire 50 acre area, with each wolf separated in roughly the same distance as if they were the numbers of a clock face. Those orders are to eliminate as many prey animals _as necessary_ to secure the Bone-Chompers' control over the area. Many will flee once they realize that wolves are attacking—Mark and his family, along with Brooke's will certainly be among that group—and the Bone-Chompers will let them run away. Only those who stay to get in the Bone-Chompers' way—like Ladrius's family, no doubt—will be killed tonight.

Everything is set. The animals in the food surplus area have no idea that they are about to be attacked by the greatest wolf pack in the nation. Kale has told the others what to do, so all that's needed is for him to give the signal for his battle plan to commence.

Kale hesitates as his memories with the hedgies flash before his eyes. If killing a paisano from three days ago had unsettled him because it reminded him of his caretakers, then the multitude of animals here will be like killing the hedgies' twins. Once he gives the signal, there is no going back. Nothing will be the same for him or anyone else living in this forest, and Kale actually considers if it's really worth it. That's when Kale realizes that he has sacrificed a lot to get to this point in his life, and that he will indeed have to sacrifice a piece of himself to see it through.

But whatever the cost the attack tonight will take on his sanity and image, it will compare nothing to all that he will gain.

So Kale takes a deep breath, and howls.

The animals in the area nervously turn in the direction of the noise, but see nothing because Kale is crawling low on all fours. Then another howl from the opposite end of the 50 acres fills the air. It's followed by another, then another, and another, as each member of the pack howls at irregular—not to mention, eerie—intervals and volumes. Although the noise informs the animals that wolves are close by, it's too loud for them to figure out exactly how many wolves there are. Needless to say that the frightening noise makes it hard for them to remain calm.

Once the animals are at the greatest point of fear and bewilderment, the Bone-Chompers strike.

Kale scores the first kill on a possum, but not before allowing the marsupial to scream "EVERYBODY RUN!"

That causes a great panic, as most of the animals start running in all directions only to be intercepted by one of the Bone-Chompers, whereby the animals run into another direction to avoid the same fate as the fallen who are increasing. Each Bone-Chomper lives up to their pack's surname in every strike.

Chaos and pandemonium ensues as more dying screams and yell of loss fill the area. The animals continue to run without thinking, driven by fear and the desire to survive. Sometimes they get away, sometime they don't; many even run into and trample over each other.

But as expected, some of the animals resist. A buck deer and bighorn sheep try to hit Kale and Gabby respectively—targeting the youngest wolves under the impression that they are the weakest—only for both wolves to dodge and land a hard blow in the ventral surface or a hind leg, leaving the Cervidae and Bovidae vulnerable for a fatal blow.

An angry coyote runs out in front of Nelson and says, "You ruined my hunt, you jerk!", but is killed by Nelson who retorts, "Ya snooze, ya lose!"

Leo fatally bites a timber rattlesnake, Emmy slashes the jugular of a bobcat, Dillinger snaps the neck of a stoat, Bonnie grabs a teenage fox that tried to flee by the tail and tosses it hard against a rock, and Clyde latches on to the neck of a badger and doesn't let go until it dies.

Initially, seeing the carnage frightens Tabitha, her father Morty and mother Tiffany, who try to run away. Their small size and swift speed would have enabled them to do that with ease. But after seeing Luciano almost kill Richie's father—the wolf lets the raccoon leave only because pursuing him would be to stray from the pack's objective—the shrews don't feel fear, but admiration. They _want_ to see what happens because, when it comes to the anger toward Richie, Brooke and their families for Tabitha's near-death experience, between Tabitha and her parents, Tabitha is the calm and reserved one. So they all find a place to hide and watch.

Meanwhile, Jordan and Ahniyah have been trying to rally some of the animals to stay and fight the wolves in coordination instead of one at a time. When no one listens, Jordan looks at his mate and says, "Well, if ya want somethin' done right—"

 **Ahniyah** (nods yes) **:** "—You gotta do it yourself."

 **Jordan** (to his kids) **:** "Kids, don't even try to argue to stay and help us two. Just run away. _Far_ away. You're mother and I need to try and stop this attack."

 **Ladarius:** "No mama and daddy!"

 **Markasia:** "Don't be heroes!"

 **Shaniqua:** "You'll only get yourselves killed!"

 **Lakeisha:** "Come with us, too!"

 **Ahniyah:** " _GO_ before I beat your rears right hea and now!"

In no mood for anymore resistance, Ahniyah raises her paw and prepares to backhand her kids. Thankfully, they get the message and run away for their own sakes, leaving Jordan and Ahniyah to find and face the wolves.

The skunks first see Bugsy who is making a dash toward the creek, shoving aside field mice and gophers whose only crime are that they are in the canine's way. Jordan grips his fingers into fist so hard that his knuckles pop.

 **Jordan thinking:** " _Let's see how much_ you _like it when someone fights back!_ "

He and Ahniyah start running; at the distance and speed they and the wolf are going, the skunks can get in front of him and gas him before he reaches the water. But Jordan's prayer is suddenly and unexpectedly answered when Bugsy's left hind paw suddenly sinks into a hole that was camouflaged by loose dirt that gophers had dug. The only pain worse than his face landing hard on the ground, which causes him to bite his tongue hard, is the pain of his paw that snaps.

He screams loudly, then pulls his now-sprang paw out of the hole. But he isn't fast enough to avoid the mice and gophers he had yet to knock around. The rodents converge on Bugsy's position and swarm all over him, biting and clawing anywhere they can.

Seeing that that situation is under control, Jordan and Ahniyah look around to find other creatures in need of immediate assistance from the wolves. But they have hardly turned 90 degrees when a blur of motion from the corner of their eyes catches their attention. It is followed by some Spanish they don't know, but what they do recognize is the voice who says it.

 **Kale:** "Andale, hermano mayor! A la cala! Ahogad los roedores!"

 **Note** **: Kale said "Andale, big brother! Get to the creek! Drown the rodents!"**

None of the mice or gophers thought to attach themselves to Bugsy's legs, so the wolf gets to his feet and lets Kale, and then Luciano who joins in, push him forward. Kale and his oldest brother succeed, and the rodents switch from attacking Bugsy to swimming for their lives. Most don't know how, but some river otters and beavers show up to get them to safety.

Brooke and her family—her mother Erin, her father Alan, her little brother=Al(bert), and littler sister Kinsey—are among them, and once they finish helping their fellow rodent cousins, they go after Bugsy who is about to make it up a bank.

Luciano backs up to gain some running speed so he'll land in the water near Bugsy, when Leo shows up from nowhere and jumps in. While doing so, the pack godfather bellows at the beavers he recognized from afar.

 **Leo:** "I'm baaa-aaaack!"

* * *

Alan turns to the direction of the yell he just heard, and nearly has a heart attack at the sight of a wolf _flying_ at him and his family!

His life flashes before his eyes. He remembers learning how to speak...When he and his four siblings would play underwater tag...When he was fearful that their dam would be swept away during a heavy thunderstorm and his mother was there to assure him not to be afraid...How his parents had raised him with a perfect balance of love and discipline that turned him into a mature individual...When he built his first dam all by himself...When he met Erin, started falling in love with her, and married her...How happy he was when she revealed that she was pregnant...Holding his daughter Brooke for the first time and bouncing her in his knees...The decision for him and Barbara to have more children and being blessed two more times.

Those memories make his paternal instinct kick into high gear. He grabs Brooke and shoves her under the water in front of him while yelling "Erin! Get the kids and SWIM!"

He doesn't even have time to hear if his mate had heard him, because in the next instant, Leo collides into him jaws-first. Even with the sound of his splash going through his ears, the submerged wolf can hear a _Crack!_ as he chomps through Alan's bones. As Leo's momentum from his jump makes him slam the dead beaver into the submerged side of the creek, the wolf also recalls seeing the father beaver shield the daughter whom Leo was really targeting, so he shoves the corpse away.

Through the blurry water-vision, Leo can see Brooke who is dazed from hitting the side of the creek so hard. Leo doesn't hesitate to pin her against the submerged side of the creek with his forepaws. She bites him in the right claw, but Leo ignores the pain and bites her on the left shoulder. He meant to bite her in the neck or head, but she had time to shift a little thanks to the slowdown caused from being underwater. Had it not been for the water resistance, even that shoulder hit would have been fatal. Leo is actually thankful for that, because it means the girl will die slower and more painfully.

 **Leo thinking:** " _I_ told _you I'd get ya next time._ "

He keeps her pinned with his right forearm and hits her in the gut with a jab of his left foreclaw hard enough to draw blood. His next attack is aimed for her chest, her death a certainty even if she can wriggle free from his grasp. Even Brooke knows this, and she actually stops struggling and is willing to accept her fate.

Suddenly, Leo's grip lets go and the water in front of him churns with bubbles that come from Leo's mouth—along with a scream of agony. Brooke looks down and sees that a snapping turtle has a firm grip on the wolf's left hind quarter. She immediately swims in the direction that her family most likely went to escape, but her injuries make it painful.

Leo's head reaches the surface, takes a breath, then goes back under to poke the snapping turtle in the eyes. Knowing that she doesn't have much time left before the wolf attacks her again, Brooke tries to swim, but it hurts too much.

Then, her mom, brother, and sister swim up to her. Erin motions for Brooke to get on her back, and Al and Kinsey grab their older sibling and help her do that. Once that's done, they swim away as fast as they can.

Now free of the snapping turtle, Leo watches angrily as his prey escape death a second time. The beaver has a lot of luck on her side, which is the only reason she has survived him yet again. Despite the hatred he's feeling right now, the godfather opts not to go after her because, one, she and her family are already too far away, and two, he must get out of the water and tend to his own painful (and embarrassing-located) injury. But he is confident that the young beaver's luck won't last forever, especially when his pack starts taking over the territory.

As for Brooke, her family's return could not have been better timed. Obeying Alan's instructions, Erin and her other children swam away, but soon discovered that Brooke wasn't with them. Swimming against the current and having to go in the opposite direction of other fleeing amphibious animals prevented them from getting there sooner, but their arrival has saved the oldest sibling's life. Her injuries are bad, but not fatal. Brooke will live, and Erin makes a vow to ensure that she does, along with her other children...She owes her deceased mate that much.

* * *

After witnessing Leo's splash, Luciano and Kale look at each other and nod, both silently communicating that they'll go their separate ways and continue to fulfill the hunt's objective. The instant they turn around, Luciano is hit in the eyes by skunk spray, becoming temporarily blinded. Acting on his family-instinct, Kale makes a grip-bite on his brother's shoulder and tugs him out of the way so that they both avoid the next blast. Knowing that his opponents will have to take time to look before aiming again, Kale takes two nearby tomatoes and rubs them into Luciano's eyes, the substance helping to soak up and neutralize chemicals of the foul-smelling liquid.

Because Luciano still has to wait for the tomatoes to do their work before he can see again, it's up to Kale to protect him. Kale grip-bites Luciano again and dodges to the left, then has to shove his brother to the right to dodge the next attack. He then yanks Luciano down to duck from the next blast, then yells "Jump!" to avoid a hit aimed low.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Jeez Louise! Whoever's trying ta stink us knows what they're doing._ "

Wanting to fight his opponents instead of evading, Kale quickly comes up with a new plan.

 **Kale:** "Go diagonally left, Luciano! Capone's ten yards away. I'll cover you's!"

Luciano nods and does what he's told. The next burst of spray is aimed for his eyes again, but Kale jumps in the way and takes the shot in his side for Luciano, allowing his brother to escape.

* * *

Luciano's hopes that there won't be any obstacles to get in his way as he heads in the direction Kale had pointed him to end rather quickly when he trips over a rock and gets a face full of grass. He spits out the plant and continues to rub the tomato juice into his eyes. They have stopped burning from the skunk spray, but are now burning from the vegetable's acids, so it's still irritating as heck to him. He also can't risk staying down in case some other creatures see his vulnerability and attack him, so he gets back up and moves. Little does he know that he's now going to the far left of where Capone is.

After running into a tree, Luciano remembers that he was a former Sniff-Tracker and uses his nose to find Capone's scent and heads towards it.

Something rustles the grass to his left, and is getting closer. Before Luciano can run to avoid whatever that is, it runs into him and trips. Given the smells of various animals on the furry coat, Luciano knows that it's one of his pack members. And when said pack member stands back up and makes an angry grunt instead of an angry remark about Luciano unintentionally causing him to trip, he knows exactly who it is.

 **Luciano:** "Dillinger."

Dillinger growls.

 **Luciano** (sarcastic) **:** "Well _excuse me_ for havin' ta wait for dis tomato juice ta stop stinging my eyes after gettin' skunked again!" (Normal tone) "I'm sick of dis happenin'! But now dat you're here, guide me so I don't run inta anything or anyone else."

Dillinger pokes Luciano in the chest, then lightly in the eyes, and touches Luciano's forehead while moving his claws upward.

 **Luciano:** "I can't open 'em yet, dare still burning."

Dillinger lets out a "Humph!" and starts walking away.

 **Luciano:** "Hey! What if someone tries ta attack me?"

 **Dillinger:** "Victory soon. Not'a babysitter."

 **Luciano:** "Okay, okay I'll man-up if dat's what ya want. Come back and force my eyes open. I'll only wanna shut 'em if I try it by myself."

Dillinger sighs and walks back. He makes as much noise as possible when he lays down and pats the ground with his forepaw when he's finished. Luciano lays on the ground too, and before he can tell Dillinger when he is ready, the Black Wolf Ghost uses his forepaws to open Luciano's eyes.

Luciano's eyes burn as if the mucus membrane was composed of lightened kerosene instead of water. His reflexes try to shut his eyes, but Dillinger's grip is unwavering

 **Luciano:** "AH!" (Bitter sarcasm) "Th-thanks for the warning!"

Dillinger then spits into his fellow pack member's eyes, not to retort for the remark, but so the saliva's natural healing properties can help mitigate the burning Luciano is feeling. And it works. Slowly and surely, the pain in his eyes starts lessening. Three more spit shots later, and the pain has gone away enough to where Luciano can keep his eyes open on his own.

 **Luciano:** "I'm good now."

Dillinger lets go and is about to run to wherever more resistance might be, when Luciano grabs him by the tail.

 **Luciano:** "Hey. Thanks, man."

Dillinger nods and runs off.

Luciano muses, " _He's still an anti-social prick...But dat's what makes him so professional,_ " and runs to tag along with Dillinger.

After catching up, Luciano says, "Ya've been noticin' that da sounds of screams and mayhem have been fading?"

Dillinger nods but keeps his attention to what's in front of him.

 **Luciano:** "It's like ya said, dis place'll be under Bone-Chomper control real soon.

Dillinger hums "Mmmm-hmmmm" in the same pleasurable way as if he just finished a great meal.

Luciano also feels the joy spread through him. He can't wait to tell Kale how proud he is of him, and is excited for all the new territory his pack will gain as a result of occupying the forest's main source of foodstuffs. But with that celebratory feeling also comes the emptiness of woe.

 **Luciano:** "It's just too bad we didn't run inta dat flyin' squirrel who made me bite you's in da face..."

Dillinger stops running and opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off when several types of prey animals come running through the grass past them—among them are Mark and his family.

Luciano and Dillinger stare at each other wide-eyed.

 **Luciano** (whispering in shock) **:** "It's—"

 **Dillinger** (speaking in shock) **:** "The—"

 **Luciano** (yelling in shock) **:** "Squirrel—!"

 **Dillinger** (screaming in determination) **:** "GET 'IM!"

 **Voice:** "Hey, hands off those rodents! Finders keepers! They're mine!"

The wolves look up and see Hunter gliding down. When the owl lands he runs forward, jumps in the air, then glides back down again, which is his way of getting around with his wounded wings.

Dillinger runs past the bird of prey, causing Hunter to say "Hey didn't you hear me!"

 **Luciano:** "Long story short, Dillinger and I have a bone ta pick with dose rodents. As our newest paisano, you's gotta follow my orders when I say me n' Dill get ta kill 'em!"

 **Hunter:** "Is this the thanks I get for making many prey animals who made it to the tree line run back into the place where your pack can finish them off?"

 **Luciano:** " _You's've_ been doin' that?"

 **Hunter:** "Absolutely. I'll do anything to make myself useful to my new bosses."

 **Luciano:** "Den get on my back, hold tight, and wait for my signal. You's earned da right ta eat dee other prey animals you just scared dis way. But leave da flyin' squirrels to me and my man."

 **Hunter** (shrugs) **:** "Better than nothing."

Hunter jumps onto Luciano's back and holds on tight. Luciano has no doubt that Dillinger will catch up and corner Mark, so it's perfectly fine to take the time to help Hunter first. On Luciano's go, the owl leaps forward, crushes two chipmunks with each talon, and gets a rabbit with his beak.

It takes Luciano two minutes to find Dillinger, and he's glad to see that the Black Wolf Ghost has Mark's family cornered between himself and Capone who has joined in on the fun. Much to Luciano's delight, Dillinger has already chewed on Mark's patagium fur, leaving permanent bite marks all over it.

 **Luciano** (at Dillinger while he joins him and Capone) **:** "Hey, who said you's get ta have first bite?"

Dillinger growls angrily at Luciano.

 **Capone:** "Don't you's remember, Luciano? He got poked in both eyes and den you bit 'im."

 **Luciano:** "Say no more."

 **Barbara:** "That's it?! _That's_ your reason for destroying my nine-year-old son's patagium?! He'll _never_ be able to glide again!"

 **Mack:** "You've robbed my son of his dignity and identity! A flying squirrel that can't glide—"

 **Luciano:** "Is just a regular squirrel! Boo-hoo- _hooo!_ He can still climb, can't he? But you's won't have ta worry 'bout dat much longer, 'cuz me and Dillinger are gonna do ta him what he stopped us from doin' on our first hunt in dis area: rip him in half! And guess what, Capone's gonna make you's all watch."

 **Melanie:** "No-oo!"

 **Austin:** "Don't you dare do that to my little brother!"

 **Luciano:** "What're _you_ gonna do about it?"

 **Austin:** "I…I…"

Wanting to save her other son from the wolf's wrath, Barbara quickly changes the subject, hoping to keep the canines talking long enough for her mate to think of an escape plan.

 **Barbara** (bursts out) **:** "Why are you doing this? Why are you **(1)** killing the animals in this area?"

 **Luciano** (stirs, and stretches lightly) **:** "For food and dominance. Duh!"

 **Barbara:** "Is it just **(1)** food and dominance? _We'll_ **(1)** help you **(1)**. We've heard about how your pack likes recruiting other prey animals to help you out. Spare our lives and we'll repay you—" **(1)**

 **Luciano:** "How much?" **(1)**

 **Barbara:** "More than _you_ can imagine." **(1)**

Luciano is amused by the audacity she shows, trying to bribe him. **(1)**

 **Luciano:** "We's can imagine an awful lot." **(1)**

 **Barbara:** "You'll get it." **(1)**

It is cruel to let the **(1)** squirrels' hope **(1)** , and Luciano doesn't like being kept from his much-desired payback, so he continues.

 **Luciano:** "No **(1)**. Because you's not paisano material, and it's about revenge too. Revenge on ya's son, and _all_ prey animals. What you's doing is morally wrong **(1)** , livin' it up like fat cats, and not earning anything you's take for granted by struggling to overcome challenges and hardships. So prey is in da wrong, and all prey will **(1)** fall ta predators—and dey should." **(1)**

Mack can't keep his outrage out of his voice **(1)** when he retorts.

 **Mack:** "Morally wrong? **(1)** _Us_? **(1)** We're fighting for our homes and our families and loved ones, the ones who are still alive and the ones we've lost **(1)**. Predators destroyed my whole **(1)** home community, virtually everyone I ever knew as a child—" **(1)**

Dillinger is so offended and annoyed that he actually **(1)** speaks in a raised voice.

 **Dillinger:** "Critters defied established authority legally in place over 'em **(1)**. Prey doesn't und'a'stand how hard it is ta be a predator...All the things we have ta do ta defend and expand our territory, and how we have ta teach our kids ta be tough and strong because they don't get nothin' handed down to 'em. We have to fight n' kill ta get food, territory, and even mates, whereas you's teach ya's kids ta be pampered and lazy. You know dare's a war goin' on between predators and prey," (sarcastically) "and do you's teach ya's kids how ta defend themselves, and be ready for an attack at any moment?" (Normal tone) "No. If dat was the case, then dis attack tonight wouldn't have been so successful. It's like human civilians who don't appreciate the hard work da military pays for keepin' 'em free. We predators are keepin' overpopulation from happening, and gettin' rid of the lazy and the weak who don't deserve ta live 'cuz they haven't had ta work hard. No one in Nature is born with a right ta live, you's _earn_ it. Those who die obviously aren't fit ta go on livin'—it's survival of da fittest.

"Whatever predators dat destroyed you's home were within dare rights ta kill **(1)** you's kind; dey **(1)** the ones who threatened the system of **(1)** Nature dat permits **(1)** only the strong to exist." **(1)** (Pauses) "If I had'a heart, I'd feel a bit sorry for deaths of innocents **(1)**. But dat's war **(1)**. Innocents always die in war, and you" **(1)** (Glares at Mark) "shouldn't have started dis one." **(1)**

Dillinger shuts up abruptly; all the talking is making his throat sore **(1)**. It was the longest **(1)** monologue he's had in years about anything besides business **(1)**.

Dillinger shakes his head as if to clear it, turns, and heads **(1)** over to Mark once again, perhaps at a slightly quicker pace **(1)**. Luciano knows where he's going with this and moves over to join him. Mack and Barbara look at each other in horror and start to sweat, their worst fears are about to happen, and they got so distracted and angry with the wolves' explanation that they didn't think of a plan to get out of this.

Desperate, Barbara does the only thing that she can think of.

 **Barbara:** "Don't kill my son! Kill me instead!"

 **Mack:** "WHAT?!"

 **Melanie:** "No, mommy!"

Barbara ignores them and continues, "Mark's too little to fill your stomachs, anyway."

 **Luciano:** "All squirrels're too little, and it's ya's son we want."

Dillinger makes the sound of clearing his throat, and Luciano locks eyes with him. He sees the twinkle in them—a very rare occurrence for someone with red eyes, and rarer still for someone like Dillinger—and nods.

 **Luciano:** "Okay. We'll eat you's instead, and let da rest of ya's family go."

Dillinger puts down Mark, and he and Luciano head over to Barbara. The other four squirrels look on with horror, but Capone holds them tight so they can't rush to save her.

 **Mark:** "MOMMY!"

 **Mack:** "Don't, Barbara! I can't live without you!"

 **Barbara:** "You _have_ to. Promise me you'll take care of the children."

In no mood for delays, Luciano takes Barbara in his mouth from the waist-down.

Wanting his mate to die in reassurance, Mack says, while tears gush from his eyes, "I-I...I promise. I love you..."

 **Barbara:** "Me too...All of you."

The flying squirrel family screams in anguish and closes their eyes as Dillinger takes Barbara in his mouth. A second later, there are two chomping sounds, and when the squirrels open their eyes, their mother and mate is nowhere in sight. They bawl in loss as the father hugs them tight, but they don't get long before Luciano speaks again.

 **Luciano:** "We're still hungry.

The squirrel family looks up, wondering if they only imagined the words. Dillinger's voice confirms that they had.

 **Dillinger:** "You're turn, kiddo."

Mark thinks this is all a nightmare and tries to pinch himself to wake up, but nothing happens.

 **Mack:** "What're you talking about?! You said—!"

 **Luciano:** "We lied."

Capone grabs Mark and tosses him forward.

 **Mack:** "You dishonorable—Ach!"

Capone had hit him on the top of the head, then stands him back up.

 **Capone:** "Dis time, you's all gonna watch."

 **Luciano:** "Use ya's peripheral vision ta ensure they are while we's eatin' da kid, Dillinger."

Dillinger nods and then the two get on either side of Mark.

 **Austin:** "Little brother, NOOO!"

 **Luciano** (looking at Mark) **:** "Time ta reunite you with ya's mommy."

Mark can only curl into a fetal position and tremble while crying. The only thing he can do now is hope for a quick death.

Luciano's and Dillinger's mouths are watering. They lick their lips, open their tooth-filled muzzles—

 **Voice:** "Charge!"

The wolves look up in the night sky to where the voice originated, and then find themselves put on the defense when Jeff the duck's mother Lacey (who had spoken), father Dewey, 18-year-old sister Lyra, 15-year-old brother Jacob, their uncle Warren, his mate Irene, and their two 16-year-old twins Grayson and Billy, come flying in and start dive-bombing the wolves. One by one, they swoop down, peck them in the face, and then fly back up when the canines are busy rubbing their eyes. The ducks then separate to where Warren and his family peck Capone, Dillinger, and Luciano, and Jeff's family members who have mastered their flying, pick up the flying squirrels and fly away.

 **Dewey:** "Retreat!"

Their cousin family aims for the wolves' eyes again, then flap away. Capone manages to nick Irene in her left wing as she flies to join her in-laws, but she is picked up by her sons before she can hit the ground.

It is fortunate for the flying squirrels that all the commotion caused by fleeing animals woke up the ducks, and they figured they could use their flight ability to aid those in need. Unfortunately, the three wolves recover from their latest pecking fast enough to use their enhanced night vision to get a clear look at the feather coloration, as well as take in the scents of the birds that are flying away.

It's the second time that Luciano and Dillinger have failed to kill the squirrel they were after on a hunt. And for a Bone-Chompers, two times is too much.

 **Luciano** (yelling at the ducks) **:** "Start countin', 'cuz you's sittin' ducks now!"

 **Capone** (ditto) **:** "We'll find you and make ya's regret your 'good deed!' "

With their message spoken and the ducks too far to pursue, the three concentrate on finding and eliminating the last pockets of resistance that might be in the area.

 **Note : (1)=Based on _Star Wars: Tales of the Bounty Hunters: The Last One Standing_ by Daniel Keys Moran.**

 **Also, you might need a Keelnex for this next part.**

* * *

Since Luciano parted ways from him, Kale has a good idea as to who his unknown attackers are, and when he turns to face them as they are in the process of turning around to check where he is so they can renew their own attack, the wolf's hunch is confirmed. It's none other than Jordan and Ahniyah who have been using small bursts of their skunk spray to conserve their "ammo" so they could fire multiple shots rather than use up all their spray in one big one.

Until now, neither skunk took time to properly identify who they were trying to spray, and concentrated on hitting their adversaries. But the more Kale talked, the more Jordan and Ahniyah recognized the voice. When they finally take time to look at the face of their enemy, the two skunks can't believe it. Not because they didn't know it was Kale, but because Kale, whom their friends said was a good and troubled kid deep down, is the one who has been attacking the animals in the area.

 **Jordan and Ahniyah in unison** (shocked) **:** "YOU?!"

 **Kale** (snarky and angry tone) **:** "Yes. _**Me!**_ "

Jordan and Ahniyah don't get it. The hedgies had truly convinced them that Kale isn't evil, but as they look into the wolf's eyes they can't help but question whether their friends lied, or if Kale was putting on an act during the whole time he was with the hedgies. Kale's eyes show no sympathy; they are cold, brutal, and unforgiving. One look at those grape-colored eyes makes Jordan and Ahniyah know that he fully intends to kill them, no doubt in revenge for warning the kids about his pack's scent, and skunking them during his first hunt.

Knowing that the wolf will come at them with his eyes closed, and will clear the distance between himself and them by the time Jordan and Ahniyah turn around to spray him, the skunks decide to run away. But even as they sprint using all fours, their shorter legs and smaller muscles cannot hope to outpace a wolf. The top speed of a skunk is only ten miles per hour, whereas a wolf can run 37 miles per hour. Although Kale's speed is still below average, with his hind legs fully healed, he can run 23 miles an hour—more than a match for Jordan and Ahniyah.

It's therefore no surprise when Kale easily catches up with them and scores a claw slash to Jordan's left hind leg. The male skunk growls in pain and trips over, completely helpless. Ahniyah has been in front of her mate, and she immediately stops, raises her tail, and unleashes all of her remaining supply of skunk spray. She doesn't have much left, but it will still be more than enough to send the wolf into a gagging fit.

But Kale grabs Jordan, throws him at her, and then jumps to the right. Jordan gets hit by most of his mate's spray before crashing on top of her, head first. The mates' heads are sent into throbbing migraines from the impact, their vision is blurred, and they're too dazed to move.

Kale didn't get hit by any of the spray that got past his "flying skunk shield." He also doesn't want his opponents to get even a second of breathing room, and foregoes all of his natural instincts to rub in how he has bested them, and how he dearly enjoys that Jordan got a taste of his species' own spray. Instead, Kale intends to finish them, _now_.

Nevertheless, as he raises his right foreleg with his claws fully extended and rears his head back in preparation to land a killing slice to Ahniyah and a killing bite to Jordan, Kale can't help but say at least two simple words.

 **Kale:** "Adiós, skunks."

The instant his claw and teeth reach their maximum attack speed, something flies directly in Kale's path...something small and black. When the wolf has the unknown creature in his mouth, he inhales through his nose to identify the scent. Upon realizing who it is, he immediately lets go and stares in aghast as the creature falls lifelessly to the ground.

It's none other than Shaniqua.

The 16-year-old skunk has taken a fatal claw swipe to the head along with a fatal bite wound to the chest and torso. Her parents' vision instantly clears and they scream in loss and horror as they rush to their daughter's side.

 **Jordan:** "SHANIQUAAAAAAAA!"

 **Ahniyah:** "MY BABY GIRL! NOOOOO-OOOOOO!"

Kale stares wide-eyed in shock as he pants...even feeling horrified by his actions. He shouldn't feel that way, shouldn't feel sadness or remorse, he is a wolf after all. Indeed, killing her should make him feel better than ever because to make Jordan and Ahniyah suffer the loss of their oldest daughter should be better vengeance than if he had killed the parents.

But something about killing Shaniqua causes Kale to feel terrible.

Why did she do that? He had intended to kill Jordan and Ahniyah who were responsible for ruining his initial hunt, and for spreading the word of it to the rest of the forest. Shaniqua had nothing to do with that, hadn't even been among the kids during Kale's first hunt.

 **Ahniyah** (cradling Shaniqua in her arms) **:** "Please! Oh, please! Don't die on me!"

 **Jordan** (shaking Shaniqua) **:** "Get up, Shan! GET UP!" (Whimpering) " _Please!_ "

Suddenly, Ladarius, Lakeisha, and Markasia come running in from the side.

 **Ladarius:** "Mama! Daddy!"

 **Lakeisha** (gasps) **:** "Shaniqua!"

 **Markasia:** "Big sis! NOOO!"

 **Ladarius:** "Is she...?"

Jordan and Ahniyah give a tear-filled nod in confirmation, causing the siblings to add their voices in the crying going on in front of Kale.

 **Jordan:** "Why did she come back!?"

 **Ahniyah:** " _How_ did she come back!?"

 **Markasia:** "W-w-we ran into the forest like you told us to. But when we got past the tree line, Shaniqua told us to look out to our right."

 **Lakeisha:** "Sh-she then knocked the wind outta all three of us, and said she _had_ to go help you out."

 **Ladarius:** "She s-said, she couldn't—she wouldn't—let you two get ya'selves killed...Said that _you_ could take care of us better than she can."

 **Ahniyah** (looks down and stokes Shaniqua's head-fur) **:** "My brave, girl...She made sure our family would stay together...That you three would still have your parents to protect you and guide you..."

 **Markasia:** "But our whole family _isn't_ together!"

 **Jordan:** "I know. But...I... _I_..."

Jordan buries his face in his paws and sobs some more. All the while, no one has yet to notice that Kale is still standing a few feet away. The wolf is so shocked and so sad that he starts mumbling aloud, "I didn't mean to," over and over while shaking his head, getting slightly louder every time.

When the skunks can hear his words during a break from their crying, the look at him and their attitudes change gears.

 **Ahniyah** (darkly) **:** "You..."

 **Kale:** "I didn't mean to kill her..."

 **Jordan** (darkly) **:** "You MONSTER...!"

 **Kale:** "I meant to kill you and your mate..."

 **Ladarius:** "You EVIL monster!"

 **Kale** (stern) **:** " _Don't_ call me that—"

 **Markasia:** "YOU KILLED MY BIG SISTER! My hero and role model!"

 **Lakeisha:** "I _HATE_ YOU!"

 **Kale:** "I didn't mean to—Lemme explain!"

 **Jordan:** "We ALL hate you!"

 **Kale:** "Just listen!—"

 **Ahniyah:** "And I hate your WHOLE species!"

 **Kale:** "Wait, please—!"

 **Ladarius:** "I'LL KILL YOU!"

He and sisters make a mad-dash for the wolf, their eyes full of murderous intent.

 **Jordan:** "Kids, don't!"

Kale knocks them to the ground on reflex, saving himself from being attacked physically, but the verbal attacks have only begun.

 **Ahniyah:** "I thought you was a good kid! Thought that you weren't evil like most wolves...But you not a wolf, and not a kid. You're the DEVIL!"

 **Kale:** "I'm not!"

 **Jordan:** "Yes you is! Look at what you've done ta our family!" (gestures to his family) "Look what you've done to this whole area of the forest!"

Kale is compelled to follow Jordan's pointing finger and look around, and finds it hard to deny their point of view. Dead animals are here and there. It's like a war zone—no, the site of a massacre. It's like Kale's eyes are finally open to all the atrocities he has committed this night.

 **Jordan:** "We, and everyone else hea, was just tryin' to have dinner. _Dinner_ , for goodness sake!"

 **Ladarius:** "Shaniqua was just 16!"

 **Jordan:** "She had so much left to live for! So much she hadn't got to experience yet!"

 **Lakeisha:** "She'll never get to have a boyfriend, or get married, or have kids!"

 **Markasia:** "Never get to play sports with us no more!"

 **Ladarius:** "Or tag, or videogames!"

 **Ahniyah** (to Kale) **:** "You wouldn't know what it's like to be denied your childhood!

 **Jordan:** "Yeah! What did we do to deserve this?!"

Those last two remarks knock the wolf-conscience back into Kale. Jordan had spoken in a way that was so certain, like he knew all about but purposely denied Kale's problems and of his dreams to live a life of love and fun. And Ahniyah had spoken that in a way that indicates she and her family are innocent of everything bad that has happened to them. Kale cannot let the skunk family get away with that.

As memories of the deal Luciano and Bugsy made with Leo flash through his head, Kale finally connects it to what Jordan said, and realizes because of his first failed hunt that those two skunks had caused, all of Kale's slim chances to be a kid and do teenager things like their late daughter, have effectively been ruined. It's one thing to be accused of being an evil monster, but when someone denies to see how their own actions have caused Kale more long-term misery than ever before, then it's time for his wolf-self to assert his dominance over prey like them.

 **Kale** (full of anger) **:** "You's two ruined the surprise attack of my first hunt...You're da ones who led ta me gettin' my legs broken...For my pack abandoning me...For me living in disgrace with a buncha prey animals..." (Points to his face) "For me gettin' dis scar...And for my pack puttin' so much pressure on me dat I'll nev'a get ta be a teenager and do the things ya's daughter had plenty of time ta enjoy! You's've more than desoived ta die!"

 **Jordan:** "You sociopath!"

 **Kale:** "SHUT UP! I was tryin' ta kill you's two," (Points at Jordan and Ahniyah) "not ya's daughter. But on dee account of ya's loss, I'll let you's all live instead of killing you's. I've done enough damage for one night, and now you's know da price of gettin' in da Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack's way. Now run before someone in my pack see's ya and kills you's too."

The skunk family gets up, but doesn't leave just yet. They lock vengeful eyes with Kale.

 **Jordan** (in seething rage) **:** "We swear...on Shaniqua's grave...that the next time we see you—"

 **Kale:** "You'll do what? You's skunks don't have claws or teeth big enough ta kill me. And skunking me won't do nothin' 'cuz I can just find air freshener, or wait for the smell ta wear off. Now GO!"

Kale jerks forward—intentionally short of biting them—and snaps his jaws close, causing the skunks to flee in fear.

Kale keeps his hard gaze on the mustelids as they run, then drops it as soon as they're out of sight. Now his face shows guilt and remorse for his actions tonight. The death and chaos is his own doing. He intended this all, but he can't help but question himself.

 **Kale's kid-conscience:** " _Why did I do this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _'Cuz you're a wolf._ "

 **Kale's kid conscience:** "But _why did I do this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _Ta get even and ta get you's pack new territory._ "

 **Kale's kid-conscience:** "But why _did I do this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _So you's could prove ta ya's pack dat you're a true Bone-Chomper and so dey'll stop callin' ya 'Track.'_ "

 **Kale's kid conscience:** "But why did _I do this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _Because I'm a predator and_ have _to attack prey. It's my nature and it's in my blood._ "

 **Kale's kid-conscience:** "But why did I _do this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _Ta uphold the codes of wolf society._ "

 **Kale's kid-conscience:** "But why did I do _this?_ "

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _Ta keep myself and my brothers in da Bone-Chomper pack, 'cuz to fail would get us all kicked out and get me disowned._ "

 **Kale's kid-conscience:** "But. Why. Did. I. Do. This?"

His wolf-conscience has run out of reasons, and Kale can't shake off the horror he is feeling. As he led the attack, helped out his fellow wolves, and murdered Shaniqua, it was like he had been a completely different person; not a wolf, not a predator, and not an animal, but a mad destroyer. Would his parents approve? Are Sniff-Tracker Eddie and Sharnese proud of him, or shaking their heads in disappointment for taking things too far? The victory is tainted, it tastes rotten instead of sweet.

He doesn't understand why he feels this way. In the past, he has assisted in killing many prey animals before when his other pack members have led hunts. Is it something about being the one in charge that makes it scary how he could cause so much pandemonium and heartbreak? Why hasn't he felt like this before?

Then, he finds the answer for his guilt.

 **Kale thinking:** " _I never knew prey animals before...How similar dare livelihoods are ta wolves like me..._ "

Every living creature can feel; feel good, and feel bad and feel loss. He lost his parents to a predator, and that turned his whole world upside down. But how many parents, brothers, sisters, and cousins is he responsible for killing tonight, both personally and for choosing to hunt in this location? How many lives has he torn apart, and put through what he had gone through?

Before he can think anymore, Bonnie approaches him and taps his hard in appreciation.

 **Bonnie:** "Hey, hey! It's over. We won. Dis area is now ours! Congrats, Track—er, Kale! You's finally got ya's revenge. Feels good, don't it?"

Kale regains his tough, wolf demeanor and says, "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure does!"

 **Bonnie:** "But why'd'ja let dat skunk family live? I saw from afar, ya killed one of 'em, so why not kill da rest?"

 **Kale:** "Ah, well, y'see...'Cuz it'd be crueler ta let 'em live without dare daughter, and hold onta all that sorrow for what dey did ta me."

 **Bonnie:** "Ha-ha! Atta boy, kid! Is it still alright if I call ya's 'kid'?"

 **Kale:** "Yeah, go ahead."

The others start circling around him with big grins on their faces.

 **Leo:** "Kale...You've done a swell job. You completed you's coming-of-age hunt, and gained us dee perfect foothold from which ta expand our influence inta new territory. You put the needs of our pack before ya's own desires, followed the codes of wolf society, and reminded all prey animals ta fear predators like us. You've performed satisfactory, and proven to us all dat you truly belong here with us, in da best wolf pack in America. And it's about time you's did."

Luciano, Bugsy, Gabby, Capone, and Bonnie sit on their hind legs to get in howling positions, but Leo's outstretched paw makes them stop, which makes Kale feel cheated out of some well-earned praise. Kale also feels very unsatisfied, and had expected a huge celebration and better words of approval besides "swell," "satisfactory," and "about time."

 **Leo:** "You and ya's brothers have earned da right to remain in our pack, too...However, since our agreement clearly hinges on how ya should succeed _twice as fast_ , dare are a few items that make dis hunt fall in da 'average' category. As such, you's're still considered a kid, and not an adult. And if anyone wants ta keep callin' you's 'Track,' they can keep doin' so."

Kale can't believe it. After all the things he's done in preparation for this hunt and during it, after all the animals he and his pack have killed and terrified, after all the territory they have gained tonight and will gain in the future, he must still endure the same treatment he's been trying so hard to get rid of! Knowing that any immature outburst will make things worse for him, Kale lets out a groan and then talks all-business like.

 **Kale:** "What kinda 'items' you talkin' 'bout, Leo?"

 **Leo:** "You's observation neglected ta mention dee existence of snapping turtles in da creek!"

Leo turns so that he shows his wounded hind quarter for Kale to see. Kale is briefly distraught with the injury, but also knows that Leo isn't taking it personally, and the reason for his interrogation is to ensure Kale can make the others accept his point of view. He uses the bitterness he initially felt to set the record straight.

 **Kale:** "Did you really think dat takin' da creek wouldn't cost you's? That **(1)** another creature wouldn't tear off a piece of you?" **(1)**

 **Leo:** "I thought I had trained someone ta take **(1)** all factors inta account."

 **Kale:** "And I will **(1)**. But dis is war, not assassination, and in a war, _everybody_ takes casualties." **(1)**

Leo studies him for a moment, the anger in his eyes slowly turning to enigma **(1)**. When Kale doesn't continue, Leo finally says, "You done, **(1)** Track?"

 **Kale** (nods) **:** "Pretty much." **(1)**

He doesn't bother wondering whether he has gotten through to him **(1)**. Leo has always been a creature of **(1)** micromanaging and inquiry, and Kale supposes he is too old to change now. **(1)**

Still, Kale can't help but add, "Bite hard and run fast, Leo." **(1)**

Leo actually smiles and says, "Tanks for dee advice, **(1)** "Track. Die proud." **(1)**

Kale chuckles **(1)** at how the words Leo ended with **(1)** is the wolf way for "good luck" **(1)**. A strange language, **(1)** but that's wolf society for you.

 **Emmy:** "You also could'a fought the skunks trying ta stink Luciano sooner, instead of being on defense for so long."

Kale looks at his oldest brother in betrayal, but Luciano lowers his head and gives a quiet sigh in resignation. That's how Kale knows Luciano didn't want to bring this on Kale, but _had_ to because of the deal with Leo that he and Bugsy had made. Kale looks back at Emmy.

 **Kale:** "Like I said, Emmy, every battle has casualties, but da casualties we inflicted on da prey are far greater."

 **Luciano:** "And some of 'em were da result of Kale havin' us recruit Paisano Hunter, since dee owl chased prey who had escaped back inta our killin' ground."

 **Leo:** "True..." (To Kale) "But don't act like no one saw ya's face before Bonnie talked ta ya, Track. I saw da look in ya's eyes. You felt guilty for all da killin' tonight, didn't you? If you're supposed ta be improvin' two times as much, you should'a felt happier."

Even Kale's brothers look at him quizzically.

 **Kale:** "I..." (Thinking) " _Ah, why even hide it? They're still treatin' you's da same way as before, anyway._ " (Out loud) "Yes, I did feel guilty, and here's why. Even durin' my dictatorship over da prey animals takin' care of me, there were unavoidable moments when I saw how much dey cared for one another. It made me think about ma n' dad, and how much they loved me. I learned dat prey, despite all dare inferiority, lived kinda similarly to wolves—big emphasis on 'kinda.' Killin' all the critters here tonight, made me wonder just how many others I put through what my bros and I went through with dat insane cougar."

As Kale pauses, he's glad to see that no one is looking him in anger or disapproval. His godfather and godmother do look at him in disappointment, though, so he needs to end his explanation on a note worthy of a wolf.

 **Kale:** "So I guess I need ta participate inna few more massacres ta get myself desensitized again...So what's my punishment for failin' you's?"

Everyone looks at Leo, expecting him to speak in a harsh tone. Instead, spurred by the memories of his best friend who the godfather still feels personal guilt over, Leo speaks in a sympathetic voice.

 **Leo:** "Don't beat ya'self up _too hard_ , Kale. You didn't fail, you just didn't reach da bar we set for you's. Had your circumstances been 'normal'—without da need ta improve twice as fast—you've would'a been given da proper treatment you's deserved."

Kale finally starts feeling like himself again, and says, "Th-thanks, Leo."

 **Leo:** "But a deal is a deal, and you's're still bound ta make good on what you's and ya's brothers promised me and our pack."

Kale's spirits wane, but not too much, so he curtly responds, "I und'a'stand, Leo."

 **Leo** (nods) **:** "Good. Now dat ya's hunt is over, my position as Godfather of the pack is restored. We've got a lot ta do. We's need ta select who's gonna be our spokewolf to da prey critters who come in dis section unawares of what transpired tonight. We gotta decide who's gonna defend our new territory and who's gonna go out and expand it. We gotta find more candidates for paisanos, and—"

 **Voice:** "We can help with that last part!"

The wolves look around and are surprised to see a family of three shrews approach them, especially because they are approaching them without fear. It is none other than Morty (who had spoken), Tiffany, and Tabitha. Understandably, many of the wolves think this is a joke.

 **Kale:** " _Shrews?_ Get real!"

Dillinger lets out a judgmental "Humph!"

 **Morty:** "We stuck around to see all of you 'work.' "

 **Tiffany:** "You were quite efficient at killing 'prey animals.' And we'd like to offer our services."

 **Clyde:** "What kinda paisanos would measly shrews make?"

 **Gabby:** "Dey'd get eaten by a _squirrel_ paisano!"

 **Nelson:** "Let's eat 'em now!"

 **Leo** (raises his foreleg in front of Nelson) **:** "I didn't give dat order." (To the shrew family) "How could you's help us?"

Those who had spoken out before look at Leo as if he's crazy, whereas those who did not seem intrigued by what their godfather could see in such seemingly wimpy animals.

 **Leo** (to the shrews) **:** "Just humor me..."

The shrews introduce themselves and start talking. When they're done, the Bone-Chompers have three new paisanos.

The naysayers had opened up upon realizing that these shrews were not only able to witness the carnage of battle, but enjoy it as well—an ability that very few prey animals possessed. The rodents had felt wronged over an incident involving their daughter, and humbly requested for the wolves to eliminate those they believed were most responsible. The Bone-Chompers agreed, and like with Kaitlyn the otter, found out just how ruthless some prey animals can really be.

The shrews took the vows of paisanos, and agreed to wait for the wolves to expand their territory before being able to fulfill their rodent paisanos' request.

Speaking of which, the story about the "Playground Waterfall Incident" sparks a new sense of urgency in Kale. Tabitha is one of the closest friends of the younger hedgies, and Kale's unparalleled sense of smell caught the faint and recent traces of their scents on Tabitha. It is by pure luck alone that neither she nor her parents had mentioned the current well-being of Kale's former caretakers during the night's conversation.

But when he was able to talk to them alone, he formed a deal of his own with them. Stating the undeniable truth that the shrews owed their new paisano status only as a result of his hunt, they promised to play along with Kale's lie that he killed the hedgies, and to never speak a word about those animals' continued survival to anyone in the pack. In return for their vow of silence, Kale would offer to be the lesser mammals' "pet" and fulfill whatever personal request they asked of him. They might need him to protect them on the way to forage, serve as their bodyguard against soon-to-be envious animals, or take them to a front row seat of a battle the wolves engage in so they can watch and share the spoils of victory.

Kale could care less about what the rodents' requests could be; they could have him wear a clown suit and act like a seal for all he cares. What matters most to him is that his and the hedgies' secret is safe. But now that his hunt was successful, Kale and his former caretakers must reevaluate their plan. The reason is because Tabitha's family wants the Bone-Chompers to eliminate the families of Richie the raccoon and Brooke the beaver, whose scents he also smelt on the young shrew. If the raccoon and beaver were visiting the hedgies on the day the Bone-Chompers attacked, that would spell doom for Kale.

Kale's task won't be an easy one, because the hedgies will see him as a monster for what he has done tonight. But by the time he can sneak off alone, he will have thought of exactly what to say that will ensure cooperation. It all depends on how much effort it will take for the hedgies to listen.

 **Note: (1)=Based on _Star Wars: Invincible_ by Troy Denning**

* * *

It takes two days for Kale to find the time to sneak away from his pack to go talk to the hedgies. During that time, the Bone-Chompers made it clear to all prey animals who came to the 50 acre area of food as to who is now in charge of a good portion of the woods boarding the Elysian Fields Estates. Those who resisted were killed on the spot to set an example.

In addition to Hunter and Tabitha's family, the pack gained four other paisanos: a male American red squirrel named Victor, a male groundhog named Cole, a male turtle named Hale, and a female mockingbird named Francis. They all enjoyed the protection, territory, food, and influence that they received from the Bone-Chompers, and the paisanos were most helpful in maintain order.

When everything was said and done, all was going well for the pack. Well, except for Kale, but now he finally has a chance to end the constant stress and paranoia of his pack finding out about the survival of the hedgies from some other animals living in the new Bone-Chomper territory.

He is close to their current home—the nest of some of their opossum friends that the non-climbers sleep in, whereas the climbers sleep in the nearby trees—and will discuss a new plan. However, something is...off, because he doesn't hear anyone talking or playing, or doing any of the things they would normally do. When he steps into view, they are already in a semicircle facing in his direction with leering eyes and crossed arms.

In spite of Kale expecting a cold reception, something about it being nonverbal sends a chill down his spine.

 **Kale thinking:** " _They was waitin' for me da whole time...Not good._ "

Still, he has rehearsed in his mind what he wants to say and how he wants the conversation to start, so he speaks as soon as those thoughts pass through his head.

 **Kale:** "Go on, guys. Let me have it."

 **Verne** (monotone voice) **:** "You lied to us, Kale."

 **RJ** (ditto) **:** "You didn't say how your hunting path included the homes of Ladarius, Mark, and Brooke."

 **Stella** (ditto) **:** "They told us everything about what you did."

Unable to contain their rage and sorrow, De'Ausha, Plushie, and Ty try to run forward and attack Kale, but are stopped by their guardians.

 **De'Ausha:** "I'LL KILL YOU!"

 **Plushie:** "ME TOO!"

 **Ty:** "AND ME!"

 **De'Ausha:** "YOU KILLED SHANIQUA!"

 **Plushie:** "AND BROOKE'S DAD! AND ALMOST BROOKE HERSELF!"

 **Ty:** "YOU ALSO KILLED MARK'S MOM, AND RUINED HIS ABILITY TO GLIDE!"

 **Hammy:** "Mark is just a boy, and now he doesn't have his mom to be with him! I _know_ what it's like to lose a mother! _You_ know what it's like to lose a mother! How could you do something that led to that?!"

 **Kale:** "I won't deny what I did ta Shaniqua, but I personally didn't do what you's three said, Plushie, Ty, and Hammy. Still, dey were killed because of my hunt, so by all means I am responsible."

 **Tiger:** "Your actions did more than those things, too. Those families once again hate us, more than ever now!"

 **Lou:** "They blame us for their losses because we helped you recover, didn't leave you to die the night we met you, and didn't let the mob attack you."

 **Ozzie:** "They said their families would have been spared so much pain if we hadn't been too generous."

 **Celine:** "And some of us agree!"

 **Ty:** "I should have never wanted to help you when you got injured!"

 **Plushie:** "Yeah! We should have let you die!"

 **Velma:** "Easy there, Plushie. You can't change the past."

 **Rick:** "That goes for you too, Ty."

 **Plushie** (looking at Velma with teary eyes and speaking in a sad voice) **:** "But he..." (Looks at Velma but points at Kale) "HE!..."

RJ shakes his head side to side at the sight of the young box turtle burying his head in his aunt's shell while she hugs him in comfort. The raccoon then looks at the wolf and starts walking toward him.

 **RJ:** "Kale...after all we've been through, why didn't you tell us that three of our kids' closest friends were going to be in your hunting path?" (Stops walking)

 **Kale:** " 'Cuz if I did, you's would try ta come and be heroes durin' my hunt. And dee instant my pack members laid eye on you's, den all'uv you's and me would be dead."

 **Verne:** "That's not all...Tell us the _full_ explanation. You owe us that much."

 **Kale:** "I expected nothin' less. When it comes ta Ladarius, his parents picked up my pack's scent durin' my first hunt and then gassed us all. They're da reason I failed, and for why I got my legs broken. Sure, that's what made me meet all'uv you's, but do you's think I would ever forget the physical and mental pain I endured that day and night? The pain of my pack desertin' me?...Even though things have been somewhat patched up, I'll have ta live with dat pain for the rest of my life. And don't forget dat I'm a wolf, I carry grudges.

"But I meant ta kill Jordan and Ahniyah, NOT Shaniqua. She got in my way right before I could kill the real ones responsible."

 **Stella:** "So you thought it was okay ta leave three kids without a mother and father?!"

 **Kale:** "You're gonna hate me, but, I thought they could just move in with you's since you's seem ta have a knack for adopting unrelated animals inta ya's family."

Everyone collectively gasps, and Verne—the calm, meek, paternal, and pure-hearted Verne—runs up and slaps Kale on as much of the wolf's face as possible. Kale is so surprised that he keeps looking to the right where his head was forced to move as a result of the slap while Verne speaks.

 **Verne:** "HOW _**DARE**_ YOU USE THIS FAMILY'S GENEROSITY AND SYMPATHY AS AN EXCUSE FOR TRYING TO KILL TWO PARENTS!"

Kale is still facing the right, and Verne reaches up to forcefully pull his head so that he is facing forward.

 **Verne:** " _LOOK AT ME_ WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" (Takes a deep breath) "You thought it was alright to kill Jordan and Ahniyah because of _**THAT?!**_ "

Knowing he has to win them over more than ever before, Kale lets them know this in the way he speaks to them.

 **Kale:** "It's what I feel I deserve, **(1)** my revenge. And what they deserve for what they did ta me. That's all." **(1)** And as for the other critters, Brooke and Mark, you all know from my words that the life of a predator is harder than prey animals can imagine because predators have enmity with prey as much as other predators. Predators must expand their territory or die...from disgrace or literally die, it depends. Prey _must_ fear us and some prey _must_ die, otherwise overpopulation will ruin the entire ecosystem and the balance of predator and prey will be unsettled."

 **Verne:** "Oh, really?... **(1)** You know what **(1)** your reasoning is? **(1)** It is a **(1)** big insult to me, and everyone in this family! **(1)** I don't want excuses **(1)**. I know what you're up against **(1)**. We're all up against something **(1)** in the world of predators and prey. So you better make up your mind, because until you have the **(1)** guts to look me straight in the eye and tell me this is all you **(1)** and they deserve, we're never forgiving you or listening to you again. I see who you are **(1)**. Do you understand me? **(1)** I can see you **(1)**. And you are not **(1)** being honest...So take a minute to pull yourself together and come **(1)** up with a better explanation. Revenge? Expand or die? Overpopulation? The balance of predator and prey? What are you, **(1)** crazy?"

 **Kale:** "I've already got a betta explanation."

 **Rebecca** (dryly) **:** "Well _someone's_ been practicing..."

 **Sarah** (whispering to her daughter) **:** "Enough, Becca."

 **RJ:** "Give us the whole spiel, Kale." (Faces the others) "And I don't want anyone to interrupt him or yell at him until he's finished...even though he deserves it." (Faces Kale) "You have one chance" (Holds up one finger) "to give us your true reasons, Kale; the code of wolf society and any 'wolf-only' information be fragged. If you can't convince us, then we'll drive you away like we did Vanesa."

 **Kale:** "But I have somethin' _really_ important for your survival ta tell you's!"

 **RJ:** "Then you better make sure to convince us about why you led a hunt that intentionally targeted three of our close friends, first. Start when you're ready."

Kale can't believe what RJ just said. To be willing to risk the lives of his whole family if Kale can't win them back over to his side isn't like him at all. Kale looks at the others and sees they are just as willing to risk death as the mammal co-leader.

Their need for the truth cannot be denied, and they won't listen to his warning unless they are fully satisfied with his answers. Kale had also planned for something like this, but now has to take the time to think about how he can give them his response that includes forbidden knowledge pertaining to the lives of wolves and his pack. It takes a full minute, and then he speaks.

 **Kale:** "For my second attempt at a coming-of-age hunt, I had ta do somethin' big, somethin' terrible, somethin' ta prove ta my pack dat I haven't gone soft since my time with all you's. I thought if I could lead my pack onna huntin' path that would not only give us dee perfect spot to expand from, but also allow me, Leo, Luciano, and Dillinger ta take revenge on certain prey animals who defeated us, then dey's all finally treat me like an adult. Since dose critters were ya's friends, my pack wouldn't think I'm tryin' ta avoid causing personal damage to those you's care about, even though my pack thinks you's're dead.

"Me and those pack members convinced ourselves that killin' Jordan, Ahniyah, Mark, and Brooke was in fulfillment of one of the code of wolf society that stipulates 'Any creature that bests a wolf inna fight no matter how long it lasts has demonstrated itself as a threat to a wolf pack's place on the food chain. And all of such threats must be destroyed.' But I didn't target 'em just because of that, or just for even my own and pack members' revenge, or ta make sure me and my brothers didn't get kicked out of my pack. I did it because I'm just a sick puppy who's twisted in da head. The power I feel when killin' anything inferior to me is...well, it feels good. It gives me a chance ta feel like I can control someone's life or death just like my pack does with me every day. It's been too long since I've unleashed my inner psycho, and I couldn't wait ta do ta Ladarius and his sister's what dat cougar did ta me, because he's the one who messed my whole life up. I couldn't get revenge on him, but I could take out my anger on others.

"I thought of all'uv you's and what you'd think of me before givin' the signal ta begin the attack, and almost didn't do it. The only reason I did it, in addition to what I've already said, was because I was holding onto da hope dat things would get betta for me in my pack. I thought if I did one huge massacre that would guarantee my pack's influence would spread inta dis territory, den I'd never have to do something like it again. So I gave da signal under the impression that leadin' the hunt would be my greatest comeback yet, and dat it would be so successful that my godfather would forget about the deal he made with my brothers that requires me to improve twice as hard or be expelled from the Bone-Chompers.

"And y'know what happened? It was all for nothing, NOTHING, because my pack is still treating me like a runt! My brothers don't anymore, but even dare opinions don't override Leo's. Dat guy is just _impossible_ ta please! It's so unfair! If things were normal like I thought they'd be when I returned to my pack, my efforts would've excelled beyond all expectations. But because I have ta perform twice as good as normal, my godfather found some nitpicking details that made my hunt officially 'average.' "

"I'm still not losing hope that things will get better for me, and I have you's ta thank for that. But after what I did ta ya's friends and all the prey animals in the area we took over first, I'm startin' ta think it's not worth it. I realized that when I came ta my senses after noticing I killed Shaniqua instead of Jordan and Ahniyah. I couldn't believe all the death and chaos I had caused. Seein' their faces and hearin' their words made me realize just how pointless my hunt really was. At that moment, I didn't wanna cause anyone anymore pain, and only wanted ta say how sorry I was. But no matter how many times I tried to apologize to them, they wouldn't listen! That's when I wondered if there's still hope for _me_ because I _am_ a monster! I have issues, and it's not because of my bein' a wolf, losin' my parents, livin' with my pack, or my kid-conscience wrestlin' with my wolf-conscience. It's because of ME! Every night since then, I relive the stuff I said to Jordan and his family and what they said to me, and I probably will till the day I die. And I _deserve_ it."

Kale pauses to sigh, and when he continues, his voice becomes increasingly sadder and more frantic.

 **Kale:** "I failed you. I failed you all. I failed to remember the lessons you taught me, and ruined your relationships with your friends _twice_. Because of my ego, I forgot what was wrong and right, and followed my worse half instead of my better half. My pack and the codes of wolf society term my actions as 'great,' but I know deep down that it only classifies me as a sociopath! And I haven't moved up my standing in my pack at all! I sacrificed my relationship with all of you—the only ones besides my parents who treated me like a family member, and gave me the chance to feel like a normal teenager instead of a wolf—ta do that, and it's all for nothing!" (Slowly and sadly) "I'm a wreck, I always was, and you's were dee only ones who could fix me, and now I've ruined it...For nothing. _Absolutely_ nothing...

"I don't know what ta do. If I don't do 'wolf things,' me and my brothers will pay the price and they'll disown me. If I do 'wolf things,' then I'll feel terrible because I'd be going against everything you have taught me."

Kale slumps down in defeat, looking like he is being torn apart from the inside out, waiting for someone to respond. He doesn't look at them until they tell him to do otherwise. He meant every word of it, and his proper grammar usage further indicated this.

RJ waits for Verne to come up next to him, then the raccoon and reptile give a gesture that Kale continues not to notice, and then the co-leaders go forward.

Now stopped a few inches from the wolf, Verne says, "You _haven't_ sacrificed your relationship with us, Kale."

 **RJ:** "Look up at us and you'll see why."

Kale slowly raises his head, his eyes are red and his nose is runny from the tears he has shed. He sees the whole family in front of him, each with a thin and almost too-subtle-to-notice toothless grin. As for their eyes no one looks forgiving, but they _are_ full of sympathy for him.

 **Stella:** "You a very troubled kid, Kale."

 **Ozzie:** "But problems are meant to be solved."

 **RJ:** "We don't know how to solve all of yours, but you came to us with something to say, and you've earned the right to say it."

 **Kale:** "Thanks everyone."

 **De'Ausha:** "Just so we clear, I still haven't forgiven you..."

 **Ty:** "Neither have I."

 **Plushie:** "I don't think anyone is ready to forgive you, _yet_."

 **Lou:** "But we're gonna do our hardest to try."

With that, Kale explains how the hedgies need to move away, far away from the Elysian Fields Estates, and to take their closest friends with them. Doing so would prevent the Bone-Chompers from causing them anymore harm, because it would seem as if the families of the survivors have been scared away forever. He also warns them about the new paisanos, especially Tabitha's family, whom the kids can't believe would hate Richie and Brooke so much that she'd want to have them killed. But they can't do anything about it, except remove her targets from the Bone-Chompers' territories.

Kale also makes a promise to start visiting the hedgies whenever he's facing a big dilemma so that he'll have a group of decent folks who can keep him from having a damaged psyche. It will increase the odds of his pack finding out about the current state of Kale's former caretakers, but the wolf and omnivores agreed it will be worth it.

When they are all done, Kale walks back to his pack's dwelling in their new territory feeling like a huge burden has been lifted again. That's the magic the hedgies have on him. No matter how bad he is, and even when he deserves nothing but their scorn, they can always make him feel better in ways his pack never could. He doesn't feel one hundred percent better, only forgiveness could do that, but he knows that everyone needs time before they will be ready to heal new scars. He owes them that much.

As for Kale, the wolf believes he will only need to drop by his caretakers' new home seldomly, but will find himself in frequent need of their counseling. For his pack has many big plans for him.

 **Note : (1)=Based on the movie _Freedom Writers_**

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. This chapter's events have rocked the _Over the Hedge_ Universe I have established in my stories. And such events have only begun, for in the next chapter you will see what it's like when the Bone-Chompers rule the area. **


	11. Divided Loyalties

**Hello and Happy Holiday's (at the time of this posting on 12/21/2018)! As older readers of my stories may have expected, it's that time again for me to give all OTH fans an updated story as an early Holiday's present (at the time of this posting on 12/21/2018).**

 **However, this will be my biggest present yet! Because I have 4 chapters to post, which now _completes_ this whole story! Yes, you read that right!**

 **I have been devoting all of my time, attention, and energy to getting this story finished before 2019 begins for all of you readers!**

 **Enjoy, because it's your entertainment that is the gift that keeps on giving, what keeps me going!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Divided Loyalties**

It's a foggy night at the woods of the Bone-Chompers' newest territory. As wolves are inclined to do under such circumstances, the Bone-Chompers are on another hunt. However, the reasons for this hunt are anything but normal.

Nine days have passed since the Bone-Chompers took over the forest's most bountiful food section, which would normally have allowed plenty of time for the wolves and their new paisanos to gain a solid hold of the entire new territory. But there are small clusters of prey animals who have been uncooperative with their new overlords, and who have been trying to rally others in a resistance, which is also normal.

The strangeness comes from how such animals have been able to elude the Bone-Chompers. The talents that each member of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack brings to the table—Emmy's physical and reputational strength, Gabby's deceptive bragging, Dillinger's stealth, Bonnie and Clyde's close quarters combat expertise, Capone's intellect, Nelson's bite-happy demeanor, Bugsy's deal-making, Luciano's turf-war-inciting, Kale's nose, and Leo's all-of-the-above qualities—should have guaranteed a swift and complete takeover.

Part of the reason may be because the forest boarding the Elysian Fields Estates is the largest territory the Bone-Chompers have ever attempted to occupy, which leaves plenty of places for prey animals to hide, and the 11-member pack might be too small to rule over both it and their other territories. But it can't be that because that's why they have the paisanos to help them out, and Bugsy's recent hard work has been getting new ones. Furthermore, now that the pack has truly made a complete comeback from Kale's past failure, it's only a matter of time before more wolves will want to come and join them.

Another explanation is that the wolves have been a tad more merciful towards those who defy them via maiming and beating instead of always killing, because to anger too many prey animals in such a large territory would create a mob so large that even the Bone-Chompers won't be able to defeat them. Well, at least not without losing about half the pack, and no one wants to risk that. But the leniency can't be the main cause for the rebellious prey animals' elusiveness, because having _living_ examples of what happens to those who disagree with the Bone-Chompers creates far more cooperation under duress than dead examples.

A few of the wolves think it's because Bonnie's maternity leave has been forcing her to take it easy for the sake of her's and Clyde's pups. Admittedly, that explanation is more on the off-chance, but the pack is open to all possibilities. However, it can't be that either because she has been participating in enough hunts (albeit taking on the smaller roles that were once usually done by Kale) to keep up the appearance that she is still an active member of the pack, which makes the pack appear to be at full strength at all times.

Then there's the chance that someone in the pack or a disloyal paisano had been helping the rebel prey animals hide. After all, it's like the rebels know exactly where the Bone-Chompers will come from, and therefore how to avoid them. But the idea that one of the Bone-Chompers could be helping out prey animals that are working against the pack is absurd. No one has lost their touch in threatening, fighting, and necessary killing, not even Kale who has demonstrated how ruthless he is since returning to the pack, and in spite of how his actions continue to fall under the "average" to "slightly above average" category. So it's more likely that a paisano is in cahoots with the resistance. But so far, the paisanos have been doing nothing but helping the Bone-Chompers try to locate and destroy the resistance group. So there has to be another reason, but no one can think of it.

Whatever the reason, the fact that prey animals have been able to avoid the Bone-Chompers has seriously hurt their reputation in their new territory. The very mention of the name "Bone-Chompers" used to conjure nothing except submissive fear, but now it conjures both that _and_ defiance. Prey animal comments have started about how stupid the wolves must be if **(1)** they can't even catch certain animals that defy them, despite all of the Bone-Chompers' abilities and the paisanos who help them out. The one's who started those words are none other than the rebels.

The criticism annoys Leo, but Kale and Capone didn't mind it **(1)**. As they explained to Leo in the dead of night, "If prey thinks we's a bit slow, they'll believe demselves superior **(1)**. This makes us much less of a threat in dare eyes **(1)**. Since we'll be **(1)** huntin' near 'em for a while, havin' them think us more buffoon than brute won't be bad **(1)**. Then when they've relaxed, we show 'em just how smart we's _really_ are."

That is what tonight's hunt is all about, showing that those who think they can bad-mouth the Bone-Chompers are the really stupid ones. And the best way to do that is to succeed in capturing some of the resistance members and do a public execution.

Kale has helped identify most of the resistance members, because he recalls hearing, seeing, or smelling them on the night the angry mob came to him. It includes Phil the rabbit, Josiah the male opossum, Danielle the female gopher, Lizzy's mother Lizbeth (the very same raccoon who accused RJ of bluffing about his gun), and Andy the dove who tried to urged the mob to attack Kale after RJ fired his warning shot. Although they won't be able to attack all of those animals and their families tonight, Kale's nose is homing in on Danielle's and Lizbeth's scents with the accuracy of a bee flying to a flower. And unlike the previous failed hunts that had been planned out in advance, tonight's has been announced out of the blue. None of the Bone-Chompers were expecting to do it, which means a hunting path and strategy hasn't been thought up yet. Instead, the wolves will make things up as they go, which will lessen the efficiency, but also make things less predictable.

The wolves are quiet but not quite silent, and when they draw within **(2)** 40 yards of the objective, Leo signals them to slow down and move more carefully **(2)**. He takes Kale and continues forward, then creeps into a shrub thicket at the edge of **(2)** a steep hill and peers down into the forest **(2)**.

Even with **(2)** his species' enhanced night vison, it is difficult **(2)** for Kale to see much through the billowing crowns of the trees **(2)** and the fog. He and the others can smell the scents of their targets somewhere down below, though. About 15 yards down from the base of their **(2)** hilltop, a **(2)** family of possums are huddled together on a tree's high branch **(2)**. The marsupials see the Bone-Chompers and widen their eyes. Clyde steps forward and the wolves look at him, which causes the possums to do the same. Clyde slowly gives a "Shh!" finger, followed immediately by a cut throat gesture. Perfectly understanding the message, the possums nod and hang by their tails as they pretend to go to sleep.

Leo slips out of the thicket and **(2)** leads the others as they angle down toward the point where they expected to intercept the enemy, which Kale guesses will be about where the forest meets the slope **(2)**. Kale's peripheral vision also catches how some of the pack are moving to the side away from Leo and himself who stick to the middle of the evolving encirclement that the others are making. But the **(2)** shrubs and tall weeds that are as numerous on the hill as the dirt beneath it aren't as thick on the embankment as they are on the flat part of the **(2)** hilltop, so there is a risk of being spotted on the way down **(2)**. None of the wolves mind this, as they muse " _What's life without a challenge?_ "

Fortunately, the thick fog works both in favor and against the Bone-Chompers and their prey. It will hide the wolves' approach as the foliage shifts with their movements, but ups the risk of tripping and falling since they can barely see the ground they walk on. As for the raccoon and gopher, they are hidden from the wolves' eyes and could easily hide if they do see the canines coming at them, but the wolves still have their noses to track their prey down.

By the time Kale and Leo reach the bottom of the slope **(2)** , the teen can hear the soft whisper of leaves and branches rubbing against **(2)** fur somewhere in front of them. He drops behind a fallen tree next to Leo and peers out through the underbrush, hiding his presence **(2)**. In the meantime, Lizbeth begins to wander the perimeter of the **(2)** tree- and shrub-dotted flat land at the bottom of the hill, probing it with **(2)** her eyes and sniffing with her nose. When she hears a noise that sounds like a growl, she detects danger and immediately turns. She brandishes a switchblade attached to her back by a makeshift sling made of shoelaces and holds it in an attack stance. Her head darts from one direction to the other like a nervous chicken as she uses all of her senses to determine what has put her on edge. She doesn't get very long to do that because when she hears the sound of leaves and grass being stepped on, she extends the blade out and tightens her grip around the knife handle. The sound is getting closer, so she takes a deep breath.

As she raises her paw to stab whatever creature comes out of the fog, a voice says, "Whoa-whoa! Hey! It's me! Don't hurt me!"

Lizbeth sighs and relaxes when she sees Danielle emerge before her.

 **Lizbeth:** "Danielle...Yeesh, you almost took a switchblade to the heart."

 **Danielle:** "How many times have I told you to be careful with that thing?" (Points at the switchblade) "You could really someone hurt with that."

 **Lizbeth:** "Quiet."

Danielle gets the message as she sees the concentration and concern in her friend's face, and decides to whisper.

 **Danielle:** "Is something out there?"

 **Lizbeth:** "Shhh."

The gopher goes silent and lays her belly flat on the ground to see if she can pick up any vibrations. Ten seconds later, both mammals can't detect anything, and Lizbeth slowly lowers her switchblade. She lets out a sigh of relief—

—Only to scream in terror two seconds later. In the first second, she turned to the right at the sound of something running toward her where she caught a glimpse of Gabby coming at her from out of the fog, which was the most horrifying sight she has ever seen! The raccoon is then bitten in the right arm and drops her switchblade. Gabby maintains her hold on Lizbeth and slams her on the ground twice.

Unbeknown to the wolf, Danielle has picked up the switchblade and sneaks behind Gabby. The gopher is about to stab Gabby in the right hind leg when Capone shows up and bites Danielle in the torso. The rodent screams, fearing the wolf will take another, stronger bite, or swallow her whole. But neither happens, and that is precisely the wolves' plan. Gabby and Capone let their prey go, wait for the raccoon and gopher to stop crying in agony and to look at them, then step aside to make room for Leo who comes out of the fog with a smug look across his muzzle.

 **Leo:** "Well, well—"

 **Lizbeth:** "—Get to the point!"

Leo backhands the right side of the raccoon's face, and makes her head face toward him again before she's even finished yelling from the hit.

 **Leo:** "I still had one more 'well' ta go, ya rude 'lil varmit! Eh-hem: well, well, _well_. Lizbeth and Danielle...How easily defeated you's two are when ya's not expectin' a little visit from your new bosses."

 **Danielle:** "You'll never be our boss! You weren't accepted in this part of the forest by the population, you just took it over!"

 **Leo:** "So by the definition of 'right of conquest,' dat means I _am_ ya's boss. Yet, you's think you can try ta live in defiance of my pack's rules. You's even went so far as ta start, or join, a group of oth'as who think your land and livelihoods are still ya's own. Needless ta say that you had dee audacity, the nerve, ta flap ya's gums about how my pack is stupid. Well, now that you's're in ya's current, 'predicament,' I think it's safe ta say dat _you's_ are the ones who are dumber than you's look, and you two already look pretty dumb."

 **Nelson** (pointing at Lizbeth) **:** "And _now_ you's have a face so ugly even a mother wouldn't love it!"

The rest of the pack chuckles as how there is no one who lives a thug life more than Nelson.

 **Leo:** "Now, here's what you's two are gonna—"

 **Danielle:** "We'd rather die than help you find the other rebels!"

Leo backhands Danielle and grabs her by the throat hard.

 **Leo:** "Interrupt me again and I'll kill ya!" (Pauses and lets her go) "But den again, dat's what you's want isn't it?"

 **Lizbeth and Danielle in unison:** "Huh?"

 **Leo:** "Don't play dumb with me. You want me ta kill you's, here and now, because you believe ya's death will make others join ya's lost cause. And you're right, others _will_ join. It's a good trick, and one dat might've worked against most predators **(3)** ; it's worked against **(3)** our pack's competition **(3)**. But I've been fooled by dat trick before, once **(3)**. By now, I've been in dis line of work longer dan most, and there are few ploys I _haven't_ seen, once or twice or a dozen times **(3)**. But dis attack isn't about feedin' the fire, it's about _snuffing it out_."

The raccoon and gopher look at each other in concern, there was something about the way Leo had said his emphasized words that makes chills them to the bone.

 **Lizbeth:** "W-what'do'ya mean?"

Leo puts his right paw on his chin in mock pondering as he says, "Hmmmmmmmm..." Doing so, he turns his head to the side, his eyes narrowing, and his muzzle showing a tooth-filled smile.

Wanting to ensure Kale is taking mental notes of what Leo's punishment for these two prey animals will be, Luciano looks around the pack to find him, but doesn't see Kale anywhere. The oldest brother whispers to Bugsy about where he's going, then sets out to find Kale. Thankfully, he only has to travel 30 yards before he sees his brother coming back to the direction of the pack.

 **Luciano** (irritated) **:** "Where were ya's, Kale? Why'dja run off?"

 **Kale:** "Easy there. I had to 'go,' hermano mayor. I've been holding it in ever since Leo announced we was huntin' tonight. I couldn't 'go' durin' da hunt and was about ta burst when Leo started talkin' to da rebels. And ta 'go' near da prey would'a ruined da moment so I had ta head over to a place far from 'em."

Luciano breathes normally as he prepares to speak, but still uses his nose to live up to his former Sniff-Tracker surname, whereby he confirms Kale is telling the truth. That causes his expression to soften when he speaks.

 **Luciano:** "Okay, okay. My bad. Just tell someone next time."

 **Kale** (hint of anger) **:** "Ahórrame, hermano. I'm a wolf, I can 'go' whenever I please without havin' ta ask for permission."

 **Note** **: "Ahórrame" means "Spare me" in Spanish**

 **Luciano** (slyly) **:** "Now _you's_ da one who's gotta lighten up. Ya right. I was just testin' you's. But enough lip-flappin', let's get back to da pack."

Kale nods and walks forward. And as soon as Luciano turns his back on him, Kale looks over his shoulder and confirms his true purpose of leaving the pack has been fulfilled.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Dark Tide I: Onslaught**_ **by Michael A. Stackpole.**

 **(2)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Invincible**_ **by Troy Denning.**

 **(3)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Tales of the Bounty Hunters: The Last One Standing**_ **by Daniel Keys Moran.**

* * *

Ever since Leo began his self-aggrandizing conversation with Lizbeth and Danielle, the wolves had been so focused on their godfather's words that no one noticed Kale slipping away. He didn't need to hear what Leo will do with the prey animal rebels, because he'll find that out when the punishment is carried out. The only thing Kale could think of was the completion of a personal goal of his, one that would ensure the hedgies will continue to be willing to give him advice whenever he does something that makes him question his faith in himself—which, given whatever Leo's punishment for the raccoon and gopher will be, looks like will be soon.

Kale _did_ have to "go," but as soon as he finished, he went over to the home of one of the two families in the resistance that he had intentionally not told his pack about. One was Cassidy, Martha the mink's mother, and the other was Reed, the father of Rainer the badger. But Kale only needed to tell Martha's family what he had to say, and tell them to tell Rainer's, and on a smaller note, Jeff the duck's family. Although Jeff's family aren't part of the resistance, the birds' efforts of saving Mark and his family (minus Barbara) from Dillinger, Luciano, and Capone makes them a high-priority target for those wolves.

As expected, the minks harbored some ill will toward Kale for leading the hunt that led to the Bone-Chompers' takeover of the woods. Kale's wolf-conscience appreciated that his own notoriety is starting to spread, but the wolf was in no mood for interruptions and seized Martha, then threatened to kill her if her family didn't listen to what he had to say. Having their full attention from that point on, he said his pack was nearby, that he didn't have much time before they come looking for him, that he knew they were part of the resistance, and more importantly, that they were friends of the hedgies. He told the minks where their friends were planning on staying, and for the mustelids to leave. Tonight. As soon as he finished talking to them, and for them to tell the families of Rainer and Jeff to come with them. Otherwise, he'd bring his pack to them to make a "house call."

They agreed, but when they accused Kale of having them leave as a means to weaken the resistance, Kale's retort of, "Don't ya's know when someone's tryin' ta save you's?!" along with the sincerity in his face made them realize he was telling the truth. When they asked Kale why he was doing this for them, he just told them to go, then left himself.

Back in the present, as he rejoins his pack, Kale figures that his actions tonight will in fact weaken the resistance. That will certainly make things better for his pack, but any blood that will be spilled as a result will be on his paws, and his conscience.

 **Kale's wolf-conscience:** " _Just be strong, like da wolf you are._ "

Kale agrees with that part of himself, but his own mind—the one free from both his wolf- and kid-consciences—wonders if he'll be able to look at himself in the water's reflection ever again.

* * *

In the next 12 hours, the Bone-Chompers and their paisanos took great pains to spread the word that two members of the rebel prey animals have been captured, and would be executed along with their families unless the other resistance members turned themselves in. Attendance to the execution was mandatory for all animals living in the Bone-Chompers' new territory. Those who didn't show up would be labeled as being part of the resistance, and face severe consequences.

It was a trap, of course, because the wolves would kill the raccoon and gopher families even if the resistance members showed up. But no matter what happened, the Bone-Chmpers would win. If the resistance showed up to save their fellow freedom fighters, the wolves would kill them all in a way that would crush any future attempts at resistance. If they didn't show up, then the wolves will carry out the execution as planned, and the other animals watching will not want to join the ranks of a resistance that is cold-hearted enough to let its own members and their families get killed just to remain hidden.

The latter is what came to pass, and Kale joined his fellow pack members in executing Lizbeth, Danielle, and their families—the latter first, so the former could be alive to witness what their actions have brought on their loved ones. That was the true punishment Leo wanted for Danielle and Lizbeth: for the two to breakdown and die knowing they caused their families deaths. It was as ingenious as it was cruel. Leo's experiences have taught him how animals like Lizbeth and Danielle are so committed to their cause that they would be fine dying for it. But when their families are brought onto the chopping block, the two rebels' strong wills crumbled in a storm of fear and begging, which was music to the wolves' ears.

The execution wouldn't have bothered Kale so much if only Lizbeth and Danielle were killed, because they profusely stated how they alone were a part of the resistance, and their families had nothing to do with it. Leo claimed they were lying, but Kale's nose picked up the unmistakable scent of fear that only comes when someone in the raccoon's and gopher's nonexistent shoes is telling the truth. Their families were also being honest when they affirmed those twos' words. But Kale knows that Leo and the rest of his pack _knew_ all of those animals were telling the truth, but just didn't care.

It shouldn't be surprising. They are wolves...it's in their blood and in their genes to be cruel.

Kale had thought, " _But what about_ my _blood and_ my _genes?_ "

His wolf-conscience told him that it is, that he can't fight it, and has no choice. But his kid-conscience and the lessons he learned from the hedgies told him there is always a choice.

Kale then told himself, " _But I'm a wolf, I_ have _ta do wolf things. You's can't fight ya's own species. And I gotta do dis stuff or else me 'n my bros will get kick outta da pack, and I'll get disowned._ "

For some reason, that last part was starting to sound more and more like an excuse instead of Kale's motivation.

Something else that will haunt Kale's dreams for years to come was the shrieking voice of a male teenage raccoon called Garrett who pleaded with the Bone-Chompers to spare the life of Lizbeth's daughter, Lizzy, who was his new mate. Kale had heard those words, used his nose to confirm it was true, saw the desperate look in the Garrett's eyes, and had still killed Lizzy anyway, who was also a teenager. Simply saying he was Lizzy's mate risked Garrett's own life and the lives of his family, because it identified them as being connected to Lizbeth's family. But Leo voted to deal with the rebels' immediate families rather than their extended one first, because it only provided the onlookers a better example of what defying the Bone-Chompers leads to.

In any case, the sight broke Lizzy's widowered mate and drove him insane on the spot. He showed all the signs of someone's whose mind was cracked in two: shouting incoherently, breaking out in fits of crying and laughter, screaming some more, and finally collapsing to the ground while going into a catatonic state. When his family tried to pick him up, the cycle restarted. It was that insanity alone that saved him and his family from being among the executed, because he was too crazy to desire (or even understand the concept of) revenge for his fallen mate, and his family will be too busy trying to nurse him back to sanity to do the same for their son's current mental state.

Even so, memories of his previous visit with the hedgies made Kale go easy on his victims as he killed them. He wasn't as messy as usual and didn't tear them into pieces like his pack did. Instead he broke the prey animals' necks or bit them once in a killing blow, rather than dragging it out with several nonlethal hits. Kale figured if he can't help being a wolf, he can at least refuse to be a monster.

His more humane disposal methods didn't go unnoticed, as Bugsy had asked, "What's up with the quick and painless treatment, hermanito?"

Everyone else in the pack looks at Kale suspiciously. They too had noticed him not following suit with how they killed their victims, and their expressions demanded an answer.

 **Kale:** "They's dead aren't they? Isn't dat what matters?"

 **Nelson:** "You should've dissected 'em like a lab experiment!"

 **Kale:** "Fine."

Wanting to move up his standing in the pack, and avoid anyone from wondering if he's going soft, Kale tears up the corpses he had killed, and tears them more than his pack did their victims. But it isn't enjoyable at all, and he doesn't take the time to savor the taste, he just does it like it is just another job.

Kale spends the next few minutes thinking of what to say in his defense for the criticism that will undoubtedly follow. He ignores Leo's closing speech about how today's demonstration is a testament of what will happen to those who cross the Bone-Chompers, and to affirm how horrid the resistance must really be for allowing the victims to perish.

With the execution now over and the onlookers returning to their homes, the wolves find a quiet place to have a conversation.

 **Leo:** "Great job, everyone! This day will be remembered forever as the day the Bone-Chompers showed the whole forest who their new bosses are. You's performed admirably and have done our pack proud. We've earned some R&R, so let's go home and enjoy ourselves."

The wolves howl in victory and start heading back to their dwelling in this territory. Kale actually finds himself believing that he has somehow escaped another lecture, until the next voice shatters that hope.

 **Dillinger:** "Goin' soft, Track?"

Kale groans internally at how the least-talkative wolf is the one who _had_ to bring it up, and _had_ to spoil his first intake of praise from Leo. In response to Dillinger's words, the others form a semicircle with Kale in front of them. Kale doesn't wait for the next speaker, he responds so he can direct the conversation.

 **Kale:** "If dis is about me not rippin' and tearin' da rebel family members, I thought dat overkilling 'em would make us seem too cruel for the onlookers ta heed our message. Doin' it quick and painless made it seem like we's objective and efficient rulers, rather than sadists."

The pack weighs what Kale had just said, looks at each other to see if they're all thinking the same thing, and then looks at Leo as he steps forward to talk. When he does, the most unexpected thing happens.

 **Leo:** "You's right, Track."

 **Kale** (stupefied) **:** "What?"

 **Leo** (turns to the pack) **:** "We's took it too far with dee execution, and I'm just as much ta blame for not stoppin' you's, as all'uv you's are for not usin' ya's heads. Killin' without restraint will only create more resistances, maybe four in the current one's place. We may have snuffed out the present resistance's fire, but also lit the fires for oth'as to emerge. By showin' our naked faces of cruelty, we've provided prey animals with an example of what da resistance is fighting against. The new rebel cells that form will also learn from the first one's mistakes, and never abandon their fellow critters to die."

The others exchange embarrassed looks as the truth of Leo's words sink in. Meanwhile, Kale is still staring wide-eyed and mouth-agape.

 **Leo:** "Thanks ta Track," (motions his head to where Kale is standing) "we's now know we gotta be extra wary of things dat happen in our new territory from here on out. I expect every one of you's ta be on ya's toes. And if ya's _do_ kill someone inna public setting, make it quick and painless, but efficient." (Turns to face Kale) "You's earned ya right ta be called 'Kale.' No, on second thought, you's earned ya'self a new name! All who vote to rename Kale 'Bone-Chomper...Leeway,' gimme a howl!"

The pack howls in agreement, but Luciano and Bugsy only get to chant "Bone-Chomper Leeway!" twice before Kale of all creatures cuts them off.

 **Kale:** "Actually, if it's okay, I'd like ta keep my name 'Kale' for the time being. Not because I don't like 'Leeway,' but because I wanna keep _somethin'_ from my Sniff-Tracker Pack alive...At least until I earn a gangster name like most of you's."

 **Leo:** "Gonna tell me how ta do my job as pack godfather, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "I...uh, no."

 **Luciano:** "We could put it to anoth'a vote."

 **Bugsy:** "Yeah, totally. Dat follows the codes of wolf society, namely 'When a candidate earns a new name he or she doesn't want'—"

 **Leo** (stern) **:** "Don't tell _me_ what the codes of wolf society say, Bugsy."

 **Bugsy:** "Yessir."

 **Leo:** "Still, you's right. So who wants Kale ta be renamed 'Leeway'?"

Dillinger, Emmy, Capone, Clyde, and Leo give a howl.

 **Leo:** "And who wants 'im ta keep his name 'Kale'?"

The remaining six howl, including Bugsy and Luciano who are willing to do anything that will make Kale happy.

 **Leo:** "Den it's settled: Bone-Chomper Kale, your name remains 'Kale.' "

 **Kale:** "Thanks Leo, and everyone else."

 **Leo:** "It was a fair vote, Kale. But just so ya know, now dat ya's standing in the pack and wolf society has improved, it's time for you's ta prove you're a real Bone-Chomper: by killin' a top predator who could make mincemeat out of a wolf."

Kale's eyes widen as he can't help but feel this is all too sudden for him.

 **Kale:** "R-really? Nelson was 19 when he did his initiation. I'm not even gonna get time ta rest and prepare?"

 **Emmy:** "No, because a true Bone-Chomper would be able ta take out another top predator any time, any place. Age doesn't matter."

 **Leo:** "That, and you keep forgettin' you's need ta be improvin'—"

 **Kale** (while sighing in annoyance) **:** "—Twice as fast. I got'cha."

Leo walks up and leans into Kale's face with a cross expression, causing the teen to lean back in fear.

 **Leo** (low but threateningly) **:** "Startin' with remembering not ta interrupt ya's godfather."

 **Kale** (sheepishly) **:** "Oh! Uh, m-my bad, Godfather Leo."

Leo nods and backs off, which makes Kale take in and release a relieving, deep breath.

 **Emmy:** "And I've got the perfect predator in mind for you ta kill: that bear Vanesa."

 **Kale:** "Her?"

 **Emmy:** "Your plan defeated her with the help of ya's now-dead prey animal slaves, so defeating her by ya'self should be more challenging, but also more glorious if ya succeed."

Kale wants to object by saying the hedgies were the only reason he succeeded because they were the ones who did the fighting, not him. But a flash of the words that Leo has been hammering into his head ever since Kale returned to the pack, leaves him with no choice but to do what he's told.

 **Kale:** "I get you's, Emmy."

 **Leo:** "Good. Nelson? Go and be the monitor-wolf, watch Kale so your word'll serve as proof or his success. But _don't_ intervene under _any_ circumstances.

 **Nelson** (salutes) **:** "You can count on me, Leo."

 **Leo** (to Kale) **:** "This includes if you's _fail_ , know what I mean?"

Kale swallows hard, because failure in this means death. Even Bugsy and Luciano exchange worried glances at each other. But Kale responds, "Yes, Leo." without hesitation.

 **Leo:** "Remember dat each of us oth'a Bone-Chompers completed our initiation in da same way: by ourselves while one of us watched. A few of us killed more than one bear too. And you can't sneak attack her, this fight has ta be won in dee open, one-on-one."

 **Kale:** "I won't lose."

 **Leo:** "Den what're ya waitin' for? Happy huntin', Kale."

 **Kale:** "Th-thanks, Leo."

As Kale walks away to start tracking down Vanesa's scent, he overhears Leo talking to his brothers.

 **Leo's voice:** "Dare's a reason I didn't choose one of you's ta be the monitor."

 **Bugsy's and Luciano's voices in unison:** "We know."

 **Leo's voice:** "If this was a lesser pack and my deal with you's wasn't a factor, I _would_ let him wait a while. But as Bone-Chompers, our pack is more important than family. If you's two wanna continue bein' in it, you'll be loyal ta me and agree not ta sneak away and follow."

 **Bugsy's and Luciano's voices in unison:** "We und'a'stand."

 **Leo's voice:** "Good."

 **Bugsy's voice:** "Can we at least tell him we love him?...Just in case he doesn't...uh..."

 **Leo's voice:** "Make it quick."

Kale turns around and embraces his brothers who hug him like they've never hugged him before. They speak bilingually in Spanish and English, saying how proud they are of him, and how proud their parents would be of him. They tell him how much they love him, and how their lives would have been incomplete and boring without him. Kale returns the favor twice as hard, and tells them how happy they have made him in recent months.

Then, everyone else surprises him by coming over and saying the sweetest things to him, which proves that they _do_ care for him despite their professionalism.

 **Leo:** "Kale, you embody everything that made Eddie and Sharnese so great. That's why _you're_ the one who truly keeps your parents alive in the present."

 **Emmy:** "Kale, out all the wolves I have encountered in Canada and America—including the ones here—no one has tried harder to be successful in life more than you have."

 **Gabby:** "Kale...It's my turn to say how sorry I am for everything bad I've ever said and done to you. I was always so hard on you because I adopted a big sister role ever since you joined my pack. You've given me the opportunity to know what it's like to have a little brother."

 **Capone:** "Your time with our pack has stimulated my brain, Kale, which makes me feel alive."

 **Nelson:** "You got spunk, Kale. How you can take verbal and physical abuse and still not lose your motivation, makes you as tough as me."

 **Clyde:** "If it weren't for you, Kale, Bonnie and me wouldn't have become expecting parents as fast as we did. We owe our parenthood to you."

 **Bonnie:** "Make sure to come back, because out of all the wolves besides me and my mate, Kale, I want you to be my pups' babysitter. You got a heart of cold, solid gold."

 **Dillinger:** "Sometimes, speaking has its perks. And you made me realize that by doing things that required me using my voice, Kale."

Like his brothers, everyone used proper grammar, and Dillinger spoke Kale's real name for the first time ever. With that out of the way, Kale continues forward with Nelson following close behind.

* * *

The pep talk that made Kale feel good for the entire trip to Vanesa is replaced with nervousness as he is now within wolf-sight distance of her cave. The reason is because she will fight most viciously when she discovers Kale is the one trying to kill her. She vowed revenge against Kale as much as the hedgies, and they defeated her because of their numbers, the weapons at their disposal, and past experiences fighting other predators and even humans. Kale has none of those qualities and is going in alone.

But right now all Kale has to think of is how he will fight Vanesa. He knows he isn't as strong as most wolves, so he's at a greater disadvantage than usual. Vanesa needs only one hit to kill him, whereas it'll take him several blows to kill her, during which time he'll have to use his head while fighting and dodging her. The mental and physical strain might end up getting him killed, making him doubt his chances of success.

He then remembers a lesson that Leo had taught him when giving advice on how to kill a large predator: " _If your strength can't kill a stronger opponent, use dee opponent's strength to kill him 'r her._ " All Kale needs is some kind of weapon to bring along for insurance. He regrets that he doesn't have anything from RJ's bag, but being a crafty wolf, he thinks of what would be an effective substitute to use against his opponent.

 **Kale thinking:** "Vanesa will be much heavier dan me, so if I can make 'er fall on somethin' sharp..."

Kale gets an idea, and goes over to a fallen tree branch as long and wide as a javelin. He grabs it in his teeth, yanks hard, and then _Snap!_ , he breaks it in a way so that the three foot long piece of wood has a spike at the end. That covers Step 0.

The first, and easiest, step is to get Vanesa's attention. His nose confirms that she is in her cave and her children are out about a mile away. Despite their shortcomings, bears have a far better sense of smell than wolves, so he must end the fight as soon as possible before her backup picks up his scent and can arrive.

 **Kale:** "Hey, Vanesa! It's me, Kale, da brother of Bone-Chomper Bugsy! Remember how my prey animal slaves defeated you's? Well, you's up for round two, or are ya too scared ta face me?!"

When the bearess doesn't respond to his taunt, Kale decides to be daring and enter her den to fight her there. One the one hand, it seems like suicide to fight a bear in the place she knows like the back of her paw. But on the other hand, wolves, like bears, have excellent eyesight, night vision, and are much attuned to sensing movement, so the odds will be even.

Vanesa's cave is actually an abandoned bomb shelter that belonged to some rich humans who used to own this section of the forest before agreeing to sell their barely-used land to the state of Indiana's government to use as part of the forest preservation law. The deal was made 15 years ago, so the bomb shelter is now overgrown with foliage and blends in perfectly with the natural surrounding woods.

As Kale gets closer—carrying his makeshift spear in his teeth—he uses his senses to their fullest ability and can tell that Vanesa is located up against the side of the inside of the door, no doubt waiting for him. Remembering how Rebecca had temporarily outmatched Vanesa by letting the ursine make the first move and follow up with a counterattack, Kale comes up with his own battle plan.

He tosses the branch into the dark bomb shelter, hoping it will distract the bear, and follows close behind it. As he walks into the den, it turns out that Vanesa wasn't distracted at all by the branch, but Kale had intended that, so he immediately latches onto Vanesa's arm that tries to swat him. Knowing that Vanesa will follow up with either a bite or a claw slash with her free arm, Kale's next move will be to let go when he hears the bearess make her move. He'll then go for her legs so she'll become less combat effective.

She brings the arm with Kale on it closer to her while also jerking her head forward to bite. As soon as Kale touches the ground, he discovers that Vanesa has learned from her previous fight as well. She didn't bite the arm that Kale had gripped, and had only given the impression that that's what she would do. She kicks Kale when he's back on the ground, sending him tumbling five feet in the dark cave. He gets back up in time to dodge her charge, making her run into some shelves covered in vines. While running, Kale looks around to see if something in the bomb shelter can give him an advantage, notices a bed over to his left, and runs toward it.

While doing that, Vanesa turns around so she can see the wolf and says, "You have a death wish for coming here to fight me, kid!"

Now on the bed, Kale says, "N-not a death wish, dis is an 'initiation.' "

Kale's stutter of fear goes unnoticed because his remark sets off the hotheaded bear in a fit of rage, just as the wolf hoped. With the pain of how she lost her mate now fresh on her mind, Vanesa darts forward, her body language indicating no strategy or thought whatsoever. Kale bounces on the bed to gain altitude, then goes forward with his next bounce.

His teeth grab onto the ursine's neck, but his bite, though done as hard as he can, isn't strong enough to tear through to the jugular. Kale silently curses his below-average strength, and then is grabbed by Vanesa. He loses his grip on her neck when her claws dig into his skin and cause him to scream, and is then thrown hard against the wall that the bed is up against. This oddly works in his favor because when he falls down, he lands in the gap between the wall and the bed's right side. Had he landed on the bed, Vanesa would have had a clear shot to finish him off, but now he can crawl under the bed with some type of cover. Vanesa's claws pierce through the mattress, but not the springs beneath it.

Kale isn't stupid, and doesn't try to crawl out from under the bed because Vanesa could easily step on him with her hind feet. So he stays put. At the same time, the thought of Vanesa's hind feet, along with the sight of his makeshift spear laying on the ground close to Vanesa, suddenly gives him a new tactic with which to fight.

Vanesa tries to attack him through the mattress again in vain, and then flips the entire bed over. While her arms are still holding onto the bed, Kale bites and claws into her right hind foot for all he's worth. He knows he doesn't have the strength to break her ankle, so he bites off two of Vanesa's five toes instead.

Vanesa stands on her left foot, reels up her injured foot, and grabs it with both paws while screaming, "AHHH! You measly—!"

When she sees Kale going for her left hind foot, Vanesa's adrenaline kicks in. On reflex, she stomps her right foot down on top of Kale who groans and has a hard time getting back up. The blow takes a toll on Vanesa too, as she has only made things worse for her right hind foot. The pain is so bad that when she reels back again, she starts to fall. Seeing this, Kale gets a surge of strength, grabs the nearby sharpened piece of wood with his teeth, raises it up, and braces himself.

Kale hears Vanesa roar loudly in agony as she falls on her back right on top of him, the impact causing everything in the cave that isn't bolted down to tremble. Kale becomes buried underneath a heavy mountain of fur and muscles, and will have a hard time getting Vanesa off of him. But given how she is not even convulsing, it means the ursine is dead.

 **Kale** (muttering in disbelief) **:** "I...I did it..." (Normal volume and in elation) "I _actually_ did it!" (Loudly in celebration) "Arrrrrriba! Olè! I DID it! Ha-ha-haaaa! I killed her! Woo-hooooooo!"

Kale's wolf-conscince says, " _Good on ya's, Kale! But focus on gettin' out from under dis stinkin' carcass_ before _celebrating more._ "

Kale tries to stand on his legs, but Vanesa's weight is too much for him.

 **Kale:** "C'mon. Ándale! I gotta get back home! I gotta tell my pack! I gotta _brag_ ta everyone I know!"

Those reasons give him the strength boost necessary to get himself up. Once he's as high as he can be, he moves in a way that makes him slide rather than walk out from under Vanesa. He gets his forelegs and neck out from under the bear, collapses back down, stands up again, slides his body forward, then repeats the cycle until he is free.

 **Kale:** "Por los huesos digeridos de mis padres...why do bears have ta smell so horrible?"

 **Note** **: "Por los huesos digeridos de mis padres," means "By my parents' digested bones" in Spanish.**

Kale jumps when a voice goes, "Fantastic job, Kale!" He turns and sees Nelson coming in from the bomb shelter's opposite side.

 **Kale** **:** "Oh, th-thanks Nelson."

 **Nelson:** "What'chu so nervous about? You's just defeated a fully grown grizzly, what's scarier dan that?"

 **Kale:** "We need ta leave before her kids come by, dat's why. I've done what I set out ta do."

Kale already starts walking toward the way he had come in, and Nelson quickly catches up with him.

 **Nelson:** "You sure did. I saw da whole ting from behind the holes in the restroom door. It provided the best of cover."

Kale nods, but doesn't look back to where Nelson is pointing. He just takes the older wolf's word for it and continues onward.

Sensing that Nelson is about to make a remark about Kale's rushed pace, the teen asks, "You's up for a lil' exercise?"

 **Nelson:** "What kinda exericise?"

 **Kale:** "Runnin' back home."

 **Nelson:** "You scared of three teddy bears?"

 **Kale:** "No, I just wanna get home and finally become officially indicted inta da Bone-Chomper Pack!"

 **Nelson:** "Heh, good point. I'll race ya!"

 **Kale** (smiles) **:** "You're on! But gimme a head start, I'm still a bit sore from Vanesa fallin' on me. She's fatter than she looks."

Nelson nods and lets Kale proceed. Before running after him, Nelson frowns and lets out a sigh. He didn't have the heart to tell something to Kale while the teen is pumped up from the victory-high...But when it does come up, Nelson will be thankful that he isn't the Bone-Chomper Pack's godfather.

* * *

As soon as Nelson finished confirming Kale's story of how the teen defeated Vanesa, Bugsy and Luciano go wild in celebration. They give Kale a hero's welcome and lift him on their backs in the same way humans would lift a stage-diving rock star. They quickly stop when they notice the others haven't joined in.

 **Bugsy:** "What gives? Aren't you's proud of our hermanito?"

 **Emmy:** "We are. And you's've earned bragging rights. Not ta mention ya's standing in wolf society has been raised big time. But..." (Looks at Leo)

Luciano and Bugsy let Kale get off their backs. Looking at Leo, Kale asks "But what?"

 **Leo:** "Because Vanesa fell on top'a ya's sharp piece of wood, technically, you're not the one who killed her. The branch did...It grieves me ta say dis, but *sigh* you's still not an 'official' Bone-Chomper yet."

Bugsy's and Luciano's eyes widen as they now understand why the rest of the pack didn't celebrate with them. The look at Kale in concern, whose eye twitches.

As he speaks, Kale flashes a glitchy smile-frown and speaks in a tone of holding back rage.

 **Kale:** "Wha...Wha'dya mean...? Not an? ' _Official_ ' Bone-Chomper?"

Kale's face twists into a scowl.

 **Bugsy** (while nervously approaching Kale) **:** "What Leo is sayin' is—"

Kale grabs his own brother by the throat with his right paw and hisses in his face, "I was askin' _HIM!_ " (Jerks his head to Leo's direction)

He lets Bugsy go and starts walking slowly and menacingly toward Leo. Some of the wolves start moving to Leo's side to back him up, but the godfather raises a paw to silently tell them to back away.

 **Leo:** "Again, Kale, you've made me, everyone here, and ya's parents proud. You's did kill a top predator, all by yourself. But because the Bone-Chompers are the best pack in America, to become one officially means _you_ would have to have _personally_ killed Vanesa with ya's teeth or claws."

 **Kale:** "But I... _I_...I _made_ that weapon. It was _my_ plan ta attack Vanesa's legs. I made _her_ fall on the sharpened branch. That I raised with _perfect_ timing, at the _exact_ angle dat was needed ta kill her usin' her own weight!"

Bugsy and Luciano look at each other in fear. Their little brother could blow up at any moment now. Leo continues to be unafraid, but also chooses his words carefully.

 **Leo:** "Everything you said is true. But the sharpened branch was only a tool, and each of us" (Motions to the pack) "killed our top predators without tools. And as you just pointed out, it was Vanesa's weight that killed her, not a blow from you."

 **Kale** (while panting to try to control his temper) **:** "I. Could've. Died. I. Almost. Did. Die. I Busted. My. Butt off..." (Louder and angrier with every word) "And now you're sayin' it was all...for...NOTHING?!"

 **Leo:** "It's _not_ for nothin', Kale. Like my mate said, your standin' in wolf society has increased exponentially. But because our pack takes da codes of wolf society to the next level—"

 **Kale** (screaming at the top of his lungs) **:** "Ta heck with da codes of wolf society! I'm sick and tired of havin' ta live my life fulfillin' 'em! Why do wolves even gotta follow laws?! We's wolves! Screw the laws!" (Looking at Leo in the eyes) "Screw YOU!" (Looks at his pack) "Screw ALL'UV you! Screw THIS PACK! I HATE YOU! Hate, _hate_ , _hate_ , _**hate**_ , _**HAAAAAAAAAATTTE!**_ "

Everyone is speechless at Kale's words and tantrum. He pants as he catches his breath. No one speaks up yet because it looks like Kale has more to say. The teen wolf takes a breath, raises a forepaw with his pointer finger extended, opens his mouth.

Then shuts it and starts running off.

Bugsy and Luciano run after him.

 **Busgy:** "Kale."

 **Luciano:** "Hermanito."

Kale stops and looks at his brothers. His eyes and face are filled with hatred, but his voice is even.

 **Kale:** "I'm not runnin' away, I just need time ta cool off, but don't know how long that'll take. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The older brothers nod and let Kale run off. They watch him for as long as they can, then lose sight of him when he goes down a slope. As they watch, Luciano and Bugsy feel guilty about the deal they made with Leo. They made it because they thought they knew what was best for Kale, but as their little brother's outburst just proved, they apparently don't know him as well as they thought. That makes them feel like the cockiest and most puffed up failures at forethought there ever was. What gives Luciano and Bugsy the right to decide what's best for Kale? They now realize they should have waited for him to return and included his input before making the deal.

What was intended to make things better for him has only made things worse. They never intended Kale to be continually ostracized, or to have his successes be diminished. That makes them responsible for their little brother's breakdown. Kale tries and tries his hardest—he always has—but none of the wolves in the pack can be satisfied with an "average" performance.

They know Leo is right, it _would_ be unfair to accept Kale as a true Bone-Chomper when no one else in the pack killed a predator by making it fall on a makeshift spear. But Luciano and Bugsy now question if it's too much to ask for Kale to get just _one_ slide, just one act of generosity that makes him feel proud of his accomplishments.

As for Kale, he just wants to get away from the lectures of his pack. He can't talk to _them_ about his problems and feelings, not without someone telling him of his obligations as a wolf, predator, member of the Bone-Chomper Pack, and the codes of wolf society. He needs to heard with unbiased ears. He needs to hear the words of someone who will say something from their heart, not something from their mind.

And he knows exactly where to go to find what he is seeking.

* * *

Six miles away, the hedgies are living in a deserted cabin located at the edge of a summer camp. The building is rumored to be haunted, so no humans come near it, not even adults.

Although humans would consider the small and rundown interior to be a dump, it's practically a palace for the animals. They have plenty of room to sleep, eat, and do activities without the fear of any people coming to investigate. The amount of space is most imperative because the hedgies have to share the building with the families of Richie, Brooke, Laradrius, and Mark.

Normally, the 33-member family would be playing with the four other families, but each one is doing their own thing separately because those four still blame their friends for inadvertently causing them their current miseries. It was a miracle the hedgies had gotten them to even come stay with them, because the former had run out of reasons to make the latter see the pain that Kale has been carrying as a means to trust what the wolf had told them after he visited them following the massacre. Only the news of the Bone-Chompers' swift takeover of everyone's former home left Ladarius's, Jeff's, Brooke's, and Richie's families no choice but to come with the hedgies, because all of those families knew that wolves in that pack are specifically targeting them.

The only thing that makes everyone come together for the first time since arriving is when they hear a knock at the cabin door. Learning to be cautious more than ever, the hedgies with the most weapon experience get their item of preference from RJ's golf bag. RJ gets his golf club, Stella gets a spatula, Rick gets a pocket knife, Bucky gets a slingshot, and Luby gets a grill brush. Heather climbs up a chair placed at the door, but doesn't turn the knob until Rebecca says "Let them in," after the raccoon climbs a lamp near the front window, looks out, and sees who is at the doorstep. Everyone is surprised to see the families of Martha, Rainer, and Jeff in the open door frame, not to mention relieved as the weapon holders put down their weapons.

 **RJ:** "Oh, it's you. Come on in."

 **Rita** (Rainer's mother) **:** "I thought you'd have questions for us."

 **Stella:** "We do, but let's talk inside."

 **Rita:** "Point taken."

The mink, badger, and duck families file in the living room and once Heather closes the door and joins the circle, the animals start talking.

 **Verne:** "What're you doing here?"

 **Cassidy:** "We didn't wanna leave. You wouldn't believe how tough things are for everyone back home now that the Bone-Chompers have taken over."

 **Reed:** "Everyone lives in fear. We're always having to watch our backs, be careful with what we say, and avoid deep sleeps because there's always a chance that a wolf or one of those traitorous 'paisanos' could be close by."

 **Jeff:** "We barely have time to play because of that!"

 **Michael** (Cassidy's mate) **:** "The paisanos are prey animals who agreed to help the wolves maintain control of the area, and receive protection and authority over everyone else because of that. And when the wolves do come by, it's always to punish anyone who's been disrespectful toward our new 'rulers.' "

 **Reed:** "We can only get food whenever we're told to instead of whenever we want, because the paisanos control the best sources and keep most for themselves and their families. That's why we" (points to his family, then Rainer's) "and many others started an alliance of prey animals who are trying to fight against the wolves and their cronies, to take our lives back."

 **Michael:** "We've had some success in giving others hope and teaching them how to fight, but many have fled in fear because the wolves have made it clear as to what happens to those who resist their rule."

The listeners can't believe what they're hearing. The forced lifestyle goes against everything that is natural for animals: being able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and to live life to the fullest.

 **Ozzie:** "Did your alliance fail? Is that why you're here?"

 **RJ:** "And how did you find us? It couldn't have been from scent alone."

 **Cassidy:** "No, our resistance didn't fail. And we didn't track you down by scent. You see, your" (cross tone) " _wolf friend_ " (normal tone) "came to my family one night and told us to leave and go to where you're staying."

 **Ferris** (Martha's 14-year-old brother) **:** "We didn't have much of a choice, because he was gonna kill my little sister unless we listened, then threatened to bring his pack over to us if we didn't leave immediately."

 **Martha:** "Don't forget that he mentioned he was doing it to save us."

 **Markasia:** "He was lyin', like all wolves do!"

 **Michael:** "Even if he was, we didn't have time to tell, because he told us to say the same to Reed's and Dewey's families, then left without telling us why."

 **Rita:** "I'm telling ya, it was because he wanted to weaken the resistance."

 **Dewey:** "But we weren't even in the resistance group that you and Cassidy were a part of, so we have no idea why he would include us in his warning."

 **Reed** (to the hedgies) **:** "That's our question to you folks: why would that wolf you took care of tell us to come find all of you?"

 **Annette:** "What makes you think we'd know?"

 **Reed:** "Y'all spent three months with him, so you have to know _something_ about the way he thinks."

The hedgies look at each other as they try to think of their answer.

 **Velma:** "Well, we thought we knew how he thinks, until he..." (Looks over at Ladarius's family) "Did something we thought he'd never do."

 **Grayson:** "But it's been bugging our minds ever since we started our journey, and we still can't find a good reason. So even your guess is better than nothing."

The hedgies get closer and whisper and mumble. Half a minute later, their eyes widen as they discover the reason—a reason that makes them know there is hope for Kale after all.

 **RJ:** "Because ever since Kale's recent talk with us when he told us to move far away, we didn't have time to tell your families" (points to Reed, Michael, and Dewey) "to come with us. We only took the families of Barbara, Jordan, and Eric with us."

 **Verne:** "But now more of our closest friends are safe from the Bone-Chompers' wrath. Kale did it because he _does_ care."

 **Penny:** "He feels so guilty about how he took something from all of you" (points at Brooke, Ladarius and Mark) "that he doesn't want anyone close to us to die anymore."

 **Rick:** "If his pack finds out what he did, he'll be banished for sure. Maybe even killed."

 **Sarah:** "He risked his place in his own family, and even his life, for all of you. For _all_ of us."

The families who recently arrived, and even those who had been with the hedgies from the start, widen their own eyes as they get what RJ and Verne had told them. Still, those from the latter make a few things clear.

 **Ahniyah:** "I still won't forgive him for what he did ta Shaniqua..."

 **Erin:** "Or what his hunt did to my mate or my daughter…"

 **Mark:** "Or what his friends did to me and my mom..." (Opens up his damaged pantagium)

 **Mack:** "But I think I speak for us all when I say, I do appreciate his change of heart."

 **Ladarius:** "But why _now?_ Why not sooner?!"

 **Jordan** (while hugging Ladarius tight) **:** "I know, son...I know..."

Before someone can say any words of comfort, there's a loud and frantic knock at the door, along with the sound of someone crying.

The hedgies are about to repeat the routine they did before opening the door, but then the one outside speaks.

 **Voice** (while crying) **:** "It's Kale! I...I _really_ need ta talk to you's! Please, let me in! I wasn't followed."

Ozzie climbs up the chair and opens the door, only to nearly lose balance as Kale barges through and hugs the first creatures he sees.

 **Kale:** "Remember, wh-when you's promised ta help me with my life's problems? Well, I have A LOTTA problems goin' on right now!"

 **Voice:** "We'll give you three to let go of us."

Kale looks down to where the threatening voice originated and sees that he's hugging the families of Ahniyah (who had spoken) and Mark. All give him angry glares, and look like they want to hurt him, really bad.

 **Kale:** "Oh, m-my bad."

 **Ahniyah:** "One..."

Kale lets go of them and then approaches the hedgies. But before he speaks, he turns back at the two families he just hugged by accident.

 **Kale:** "I thought you'd wanna kill me on-sight. Why haven't ya's tried?"

 **Mack:** "Don't push your luck. But you have them" (points at the hedgies) "to thank. They figured out why you told Cassidy, Reed, and Dewey to bring their families here."

 **Cassidy:** "We can't thank you enough for wanting to protect us."

 **Brooke:** "That's why we'll at least be alright with you coming here whenever you have to."

 **Riley** (Rainer's 17-year old-brother) **:** "But why're you doing this for us? Mr. RJ and the others said you did it to protect us because we're their friends. So why help _us_?"

Kale blows his nose, wipes the tears from his eyes, and then clears his throat so he'll talk normally.

 **Kale** (points at the hedgies) **:** "I'm deeply grateful for their generosity. Dey got me outta the fox traps, fixed my legs, taught me ta adjust my attitude, showed me of oth'a ways ta have fun, and gave me the love of family dat I've been missin' ever since my parents died. And they did all'a dat for me even when I tried to shove 'em away. I owe dem my life and sanity, so helping da families of dare closest friends is the least I can do ta return the debt I owe 'em.

"And right now, I need really need 'em ta help me again. So could please I have a moment alone with 'em?"

The other families look at each other briefly, then nod at Kale who grins.

 **Kale:** "Thanks..."

The flying squirrels, raccoons, beavers, badgers, skunks, minks, and ducks head out the door. Before closing it, Jordan looks back at Kale.

 **Jordan:** "We was wrong about you. You really aren't an evil monster after all, even though you still a cold-blooded killer."

Kale nods in appreciation (and in acceptance of the harshness that still exists), and once the door is shut, he tells the hedgies all of the things that have happened to him lately. Of how Kale convincing Leo about how it was advantageous for the pack to play along with the prey animals' comments of their pack's stupidity was Kale's way to try to lessen their attacks near the hedgies' friends' home areas, because the resistance members included the families of their friends. Of how conflicted he felt about killing Lizzy and her family, of how things seemed to be looking up for him when his pack heeded his advice about excessive cruelty, of his battle with Vanesa, how his pack denied to accept him as an official member of the Bone-Chompers, and what he told his pack during his breakdown.

 **Kale:** "Predator pride is da reason I couldn't enjoy my greatest life achievement as 'great.' I'm glad dat I'm not bein' picked on as much as usual, but not receivin' any true praise for everything I've done dat's meant something ta me is just as bad. My own brothers can't stand up for me because of the deal dey made with Leo. I came here because I don't know whether da life of a predator is truly worth bein' a part of; to sacrifice the love of family just ta show dat I'm higher on the food chain. Da paradox is dat I _am_ a predator, so I shouldn't be feelin' dis way. But I am, because I've been tryin' ta be like everyone in my pack for five years. I wanna be like Leo, my brothers, and everyone else in da pack, but my subpar abilities and internal conflict has prevented me from doin' that. I can't stand livin' inna pack dat will never appreciate all of my hard work, but I don't wanna leave 'em because dare still my family and it'd be foolish ta give up everything I've gained from bein' with 'em...What should I do?"

The omnivores take all the time they need to come up with a good response. They see that Kale is questioning everything he knows—everything he was raised to believe—with what he has learned from the hedgies. He doesn't know if he should follow the ways of his pack, or the new things his eyes have been open to. When they look back at him, the wolf expects RJ to talk to him, but it is Verne who steps forward.

 **Verne:** "You need to tell them the same things you've told us. Tell them how you really feel about their treatment of you, and how conflicted you are."

 **Kale:** "Are you crazy? I'll be considered ungrateful, speakin' blasphemy, den receive a beating, and finally be kicked outta da pack."

 **Verne:** "From what you've told us, they've been trying hard to tell you things in a better way, which to me sounds like they care about you staying in the pack."

Kale's eyes widen at how he now realizes Leo had been sympathetic and regretful when he had told him how killing Vanesa wasn't enough to make Kale a true Bone-Chomper. After all, being mean to him all the time would make Kale want to leave, but his pack hasn't been insulting him like they used to. His brothers haven't been the only ones congratulating him recently, so Verne's right.

 **Kale:** "I...I thought I had dem all figured out at dis point in my 15 years, but they have been changing for me after all."

 **Verne:** "I remember when I was 15 **(1)**. I was all elbows and knees and pretty sure I knew all there was to know about anything worth knowing." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "Uh-huh **(1)**. And now, at da ripe old age of, what, 54, ya know's how foolish you was back then?" **(1)**

 **Verne:** "Fifty-four, yes **(1)**. And yes, I do think I wasn't as wise then as I am now **(1)**. I remember not wanting advice." **(1)**

 **Kale** (smiles) **:** "So you's'll give it ta me anyway." **(1)**

 **Verne:** "My point is, Kale, that **(1)** folks have a choice when they start to look at who they are **(1)**. Some animals decide they want to be like others **(1)**. They use them as examples, try to do the things they do, and do their best to follow in their footsteps." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "And dee other type'a animals, they try ta be da opposite of someone?" **(1)**

 **Verne:** "Right, and the problem with that strategy is simple: There are a million ways to be unlike someone, and the potential for disaster is unlimited because instead of choosing a path and adjusting it to make it right for you and the circumstances, you push all that away." **(1)** (Gives Kale's **(1)** leg a squeeze) "You may not want to be your **(1)** godfather, you may ache for the day when you won't be seen as his **(1)** godson, but that doesn't mean your **(1)** godfather doesn't have a lot of admirable qualities that you might want to embrace." **(1)**

Kale nods, letting Verne's words bounce around inside of his mind for a bit **(1)**. He knows he is both disappointed and relieved by his **(1)** godfather's unparalleled adherence to the codes of wolf society. Being **(1)** Leo's godson already gives him a piece of identity that **(1)** most wolves didn't have **(1)**. And, in being a **(1)** Sniff-Tracker, he does seem to have picked up one of his parents' better traits **(1)** : the desire to have and foster the love of family.

 **Kale thinking:** " _And Leo's commitment to_ **(1)** _keepin' da promise he made ma and dad ta take care of my family is certainly admirable_ **(1)** _. His relentlessness and_ **(1)** _knowledge of all things dealin' with wolves, while annoying ta me, are good traits, too._ " **(1)**

The wolf shoots a sidelong glance **(1)** at the turtle and asks, "So, dis wisdom thing, dat kicks in when, about 17 or 18?" **(1)**

 **Verne:** "Maybe, with a good role model." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "Good **(1)**. I guess I can take my pick from some of da best." (Winks and smiles) "I may not know who I **(1)** wanna become, but I think you's've pointed me to a good path for findin' out." **(1)**

Verne smiles at Kale's wink. The wolf's gesture, coupled with the words that came with it, are his way of telling Verne that he sees the hedgies as his new role models.

 **Verne:** "It's the least I can do for **(1)** the wolf that spared my life, my family's life, and helped keep some of my family's friends safe from harm **(1)** when you could've easily just eaten us in our sleep. No offense."

 **Kale:** "Heh, none taken. Tanks for calibratin' my compass **(1)**. Now dat I've got a better ideer where I'm goin', perhaps I can actually get there." **(1)**

The others nod while smiling, and then walk over to go open the door leading outside. While doing that Rachel asks, "What'll you do, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "I'm gonna do everything Verne told me ta do."

 **RJ:** "Just remember if things in your life go south again, you can always come to see us."

 **Kale:** "I know."

When the door is open, the other families look at Kale with warm expressions.

 **Kale:** "You's don't have ta say it, I knew you's would be listenin'."

They exchange embarrassing looks at one another, but know there's nothing to be afraid of when Kale and the hedgies smile back at them. That's all that needs to be done for everyone to understand that they'll be willing to allow Kale to come back whenever he pleases with open arms.

Kale finds the direction that will take him back to his pack, and heads off.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Dark Tide I: Onslaught**_ **by Michael A. Stackpole**

* * *

Kale expects to receive a lot of words from his pack for his earlier tantrum, expects his pack to lecture him about each code of wolf society he had violated, expects them to make him apologize for his behavior, expects them to treat him harsher than ever before, and expects to have to tell them what he really thinks of his life as a wolf and in the Bone-Chomper Pack.

But none of that happened when he got back home. In a shocking turn of events, and against everything that was supposed to happen, all was forgiven and dropped.

 **Leo:** "We've decided ta let you's have one pass, Kale. We'll let everything you said be water under the bridge, if you do the same for us."

 **Kale:** "What's da catch?"

 **Emmy:** "There is none. We're doing this outta the good of our hearts, as ya's godparents."

 **Bugsy and Luciano in unison:** "As ya's brothers."

 **Everyone else in the pack (including Dillinger) in unison:** "And as ya's pack."

Kale can't believe that Verne was right about his pack not wanting to criticize him too much to the point where he'll run away. They truly have proven that they care about him.

 **Kale:** "I...I dunno what ta say, except dat I agree."

 **Leo:** "Good. But I regret ta inform you dat we have anoth'a job for ya. Walk with me."

Kale does as instructed and when he and Leo are out of sight, his godfather starts talking again.

 **Leo:** "Don't bother tryin' ta hide it, Kale. I know that you still harbor deep hatred and grudges for us all, despite your willingness ta let everything we've said about you's recent efforts be water under the bridge. After all, what we just agreed ta drop doesn't include all the times we's made fun of you before. Dose feelin's can't go away instantly, and when bottled up long enough, can make even the best of us do somethin' dat's counter-productive for our pack. Therefore, dis next task is a test of ya's loyalty ta our pack."

 **Kale:** "What...what is it you want's me ta do, Leo?" **(1)**

 **Leo:** "First off, keep your voice as quiet as Dillinger's concerning what we're talking about right now **(1)**. The first part'a loyalty is bein' able ta keep a secret **(1)**. Any wolf who can't keep his mouth shut doesn't last long in da cruel world'a Nature, especially in **(1)** da pack I'm runnin'."

 **Kale** (nods fast) **:** "I can keep quiet." **(1)**

 **Leo** (smile returns) **:** "I figured as much **(1)**. We's all scoundrels here, but some of us're betta scoundrels dan others. **(1)** An second, it's not what I want, it's what _they_ want."

Kale follows Leo's pointing finger and after squinting his eyes, he sees Morty, Tiffany, and Tabitha standing in the grass before him.

 **Morty:** "There you are! We've been wanting to see you for hours."

 **Kale:** "Oh, sorry 'bout dat. I had ta...um, let out _a lot_ of steam."

 **Tiffany:** "The main thing is you're here now. As your paisanos, we are in need of your assistance."

 **Morty** (to Leo) **:** "We don't need you now, Godfather Leo. We have everything we need. You can leave."

Leo nods at the shrews, then turns to Kale and says, "To fail them is ta fail me."

He then disappears into the foliage, leaving the shrews and teenage wolf alone.

 **Kale:** "So wha'dya want me ta do?"

 **Tabitha:** "First, carry us," (whispering so softly that Kale actually has to put a lot of effort to hear her)"—out of earshot of your pack."

Kale nods, goes beside the shrew family, lets them climb onto him, and then walks off with them. Once Kale informs them they're far enough to be unheard by the other wolves, the shrews get down to business.

 **Morty:** "Remember that _personal_ thing we wanted your pack to do for us?"

 **Kale:** "Mm-hm. You's want us ta kill da raccoon and beaver families who you's blame for almost gettin' ya's daughter killed."

 **Morty:** "We've waited long enough, it's time to 'cash in' our investment, and we want you to do it."

 **Kale:** "Why me?"

 **Tiffany** (impatiently) **:** "We've looked far and wide all over this territory, even had that owl paisano fly around at night to search for them, but they're nowhere in this area. Which means they were among the animal families who fled ever since your pack took over. Your nose can track 'em down. Find them, and kill them!"

 **Kale:** "Easy, easy. I'll do it for you's."

A sudden flash of memories goes through Kale's mind's eye, and changes his whole demeanor.

 **Kale:** "On second thought, no."

 **Tabitha:** "What did you say?!"

 **Kale:** "I said no, 'cuz their livin' with dee oposaccoon family now."

 **Morty** (clasps him hand together evilly) **:** "Good...We can make them watch as you kill their friends in front of them."

 **Kale:** "But dose animals will fight ta defend dare friends."

 **Tiffany:** "But you're their friend, so they wouldn't suspect you of anything. That's why you can get close enough to them and get the job done."

 **Morty:** "And if you refuse, then we'll tell your pack about how that oposaccoon family is still alive. We waited for your pack to be out of earshot before mentioning this, that's us being nice. So to show your appreciation to us, and to your pack, you'll fulfill our 'special' request. ""

Kale's eyes widen at how these shrews are not just evil, but brilliant too. They've got it all figured out, including him.

 **Tabitha** (smugly) **:** "So you better do what we say, or else!"

 **Kale:** "Alright den, let's go."

 **Morty** (pets Kale on the head) **:** "Good doggie. Now, onward!" (Points forward)

Kale keeps himself from verbally lashing out at being called a 'doggie,' and instead does as instructed.

But the shrews aren't the only ones who can scheme.

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor**_ **by K.W. Jeter**

* * *

Kale runs back to the hedgies' new home as fast as can, but stops when he reaches the summer camp to catch his breath and for his sweat to dry. He continues to tolerate the shrews' bossiness as they scold him for resting. He said it's because his victims will know something's wrong if he arrives panting and covered in sweat. He also informs Tabitha's family to hide deep within his fur, so that none of the refugee animals will see the shrews when they look out the window to see who's at the door. Not to mention their scents would be buried by his own. The rodents begrudgingly allow him to take his time, and then start nagging at him to hurry when he's ready to go.

Once at the cabin, Kale steps onto the doormat, whispers to the shrews, "Stay hidden," and knocks on the door. The shrews silently praise Kale for recommending them to hide where the neck meets his shoulders, because they would have a front box seat view of the deaths of their enemies.

Kale waits for the sound of paw prints from inside to get closer to the doorframe and then speaks.

 **Kale:** "It's Kale. I've returned alone ta talk to ya's about how things with my pack went when I told them how I really felt about bein' a wolf."

He enters the open door and sees the look of worry on the others' faces.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Dey think it went sour, so they'll be willin' ta do whatever I say ta make me feel better...Including lettin' me get close ta Richie and Brooke._ "

When the door shuts, RJ asks "Tell us everything Kale, and don't hold back your feelings. You can cry around us."

 **Kale** (nods) **:** "First, I'd like ta sit next ta Richie and Brooke's folks."

The two families nod and make room for the canine. As he walks over to them, he senses that the shrews want Richie and Brooke killed so bad that he can almost taste their murderous intention wafting in the air. They have been like that the entire trip—playing right into Kale's paw. Kale knows from personal experience how vengeance clouds the mind, and it has done the same to Tabitha's family, perhaps long before they became paisanos. They have been so eager to have their revenge fulfilled that they forgot to ask another wolf or paisano to accompany them. If they did, then that would prevent Kale from doing what he's about to do.

He is still standing on all fours, with the raccoons on his left and the beavers on his right.

 **Kale** (to everyone) **:** "Ya see..."

Everyone jumps in terror when Kale lets out a snarl while dunking his head forward and clawing his own body. There are suddenly three shrews on the ground, and everybody recognizes them.

 **RJ:** "Morty?!"

 **Jeff:** "Tabitha?!"

 **Elaina:** "Tiffany?!"

While everyone else is staring in shock, Kale wisely pins the shrews to the floor with his forepaws before the rodents can make a break for it. They try to wriggle free, but it's no use. Then they do the next best thing.

 **Morty:** "Kale, you traitor!"

 **Reed:** "Look who's talking! _You're_ the ones who agreed to become the Bone-Chompers' pet rats!"

 **Cassidy:** " _You're_ the ones who've been hogging all the best food for yourselves, and only giving scraps to everyone else!"

 **Lacey:** " _You're_ the ones who've been helping the wolves hunt down anyone trying to live a normal life!"

Ignoring the insults, Tiffany berates Kale, revealing her plan to everyone in the cabin.

 **Tiffany:** "You worthless mutt! You should've killed Richie, Brooke, and their families for us!"

The other animals gasp, but Kale decides it's time to give the rodents a piece of his mind.

 **Kale:** "You's should'a thought ta bring along someone else from my pack, or a paisano. I've been plannin' to turn on you's ever since dat moment."

 **Morty:** "You're a disgrace to your pack, and your species for going against our orders!"

 **Kale** : "Humph! I get dat a lot. And dose insults don't mean nothin' when coming from da mouths of prey animals, especially measly lil' shrews like ya'selves!

 **Tabitha:** "I'm _personally_ telling your godfather that you betrayed your fellow paisanos!"

 **Kale:** "Ha-ha-ha! You's teenk _you_ can threaten _me?_ From where I'm standin', quite literally, you's're totally helpless, not even ya's venomous spit can save ya. And now dat I know you's plan on rattin' me out, and how much everyone else here hates you, looks like I'm havin' shrews for a late afternoon snack! And because I nev'a liked you's from da start, I'm gonna do it nice n' slow."

The three shrews scream as Kale opens up his mouth and slowly leans forward. The sight of the black pit in his throat will be the last thing they'll ever see.

 **Lou:** "Kale, NO! Don't eat them."

The shrews are more surprised than the wolf, and both species turn their heads in unison to the porcupine.

 **Kale:** "Why not?"

 **Lou:** "Look around you."

Kale does, and he sees the families, minus the hedgies, looking at him with all the fires of their hatreds for him burning strong again. The words he had used while addressing the shrews—claiming his superiority, insulting their status as prey animals, and telling them how much he'd enjoying finishing them off slowly—only serve to reinforce their perception of Kale as a monster.

 **Kale:** "I see..."

Noticing that Kale still doesn't look convinced, Annette points to the shrews and says, "You can't kill them because you need to prove to everyone else that you're not a cold-blooded killer. We know you're not, but they don't. So if you really wanna repay your debt to us, you'll spare Morty's family's lives."

 **Kale:** "But if dey live, they'll squeal like stool pigeons ta my pack about you's being alive, and how I disobeyed dare orders. It's best ta kill 'em so we'll all be safe."

 **Tiger:** "Your pack will become suspicious about dead paisanos, will they not?"

The defiance in Kale's eyes leaves with a sigh.

 **Kale:** "Yeah...Dey would...But they'd be suspicious about missing paisanos, too."

 **Ozzie:** "Then tell your pack a lie, faking their deaths."

Kale's confidence shoots up a notch. He nods once and smirks while talking.

 **Kale:** "I think I got just the one ta tell 'em." (Looks at the others seriously) "But I thought you's all would want them," (points to the shrews with his free forepaw) "dead for everything they've done ta you's. Not ta mention they did want me ta kill Richie's and Brooke's families."

 **Richie:** "I agree with the wolf!"

 **Brooke:** "Yeah, me too!"

 **Eric:** "No kids. We'd be no different from them if we killed them out of hatred."

 **RJ** (to Kale) **:** "Not to mention that I'm sure we and the other families here can get things settled between us and them" (points to the shrews) "if you leave them with us. If we got everyone to be our friends again after all that's happened as a result of us helping you, we'll succeed in reforming Morty, Tiffany, and Tabitha."

 **Kale** (scoffs and speaks in bitterness) **:** "How ya gonna do that? Smother 'em with your counseling of love, affection, forgive and forget like ya's normally do?"

 **Reed:** "Yeah, the wolf's right. They need to be punished for what they've done to others."

 **Verne:** "But we can't let their punishment be too severe, otherwise they'll never change."

The shrews' faces brighten.

 **Tabitha:** "I _knew_ you'd value my friendship with Richie and Brooke enough to spare us!"

 **Morty:** "And that you'd be kind enough to forgive us for all we've done to you."

 **Barbara:** "Quiet! We're not doing this for you, we're doing it for him!" (Points at Kale)

 **Verne:** "And no one said we've forgiven you."

 **Cassidy:** "Yeah, your punishment starts here and now." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "What're you's talkin' about?"

 **Cassidy:** "This cabin is now the shrews' prison, and we're the paisanos now, not them. We're gonna make them live as they've made the animals back home live, suffer as they've made their fellow forest creatures suffer **(1)**. They can experience firsthand the evils they've done, and hopefully it'll make them better animals." **(1)**

 **Kale:** "And if it doesn't, den you'll kill 'em?" **(1)**

 **Cassidy:** "Absolutely not. We'll banish them from the forest once it's back under _all_ creatures' control, not just your pack's control."

 **Kale:** "Now look, lady, I'm sayin' dis as unbiased as possible, but you're revolution won't succeed. You're goin' up against the greatest wolf pack in America. Each one of us has plenty of experience puttin' down resistance groups, including me. It's only a matter of time before the oth'a resistance members are found and killed. After dat, my pack'll rule over your land forever. But all you's got freedom here, so enjoy it."

 **Reed:** "Maybe all we need to succeed is someone from the inside, someone who knows the Bone-Chompers."

Kale gives the badger a look of disgust and shock. He uses his head to motion for Rachel to come watch the shrews, walks over to Reed, and leans into his face when he speaks.

 **Kale** (cross tone) **:** "I am NOT betrayin' my pack! I want 'em ta rule over ya's home, dat I myself am responsible for gaining for 'em. I did this, so I'm obligated ta defend my hard work. I owe all'uv you somethin', and I hope you've been appreciating my devotion ta your safety, but I am _not_ a double agent. I may have helped all'uv you's in some form or another, but don't you's dare think for one second dat I would help your resistance take back their land."

Kale gets out of Reed's wide-eyed and terrified face, and takes a deep, calming breath.

 **Kale** (normal tone) **:** "When everything is said and done, I'm still a wolf. My allegiance is to my own species. Don't forget that."

 **Reed:** "Well, can't blame a guy for asking."

 **Kale** (tilts his head and speaks dryly) **:** "Oh, I think I can. And I _should_."

No one can think of anything to say in response to the awkward conversation that just happened, so Verne changes the subject.

 **Verne:** "Soooooo, how did your pack take the news of your feelings?"

 **Kale:** "I never gotta chance ta tell 'em. Dey offered not to punish or lecture me for my tantrum as long as I forgave them for belittling my recent successes. Ta refuse dat, and tell them all dee issues I have with bein' a wolf, would be like turnin' down a gold mine."

 **RJ:** "But you still need to tell them. It's important for them to know."

 **Kale:** "Right now, I don't need to. But if things go bad in my life again, den I will. I promise."

 **Tiffany:** "How can you _not_ like being a wolf?! Do you know how much I'd give to be one—ouch!"

Rachel had leaned into Tiffany and poked her with one of her quills.

 **Kale:** "Tanks, Rachel."

 **Rachel:** "I'll do it again if they try bad-mouthing you for the rest of your stay."

 **Kale:** "Then dose mini-mice are gettin' a lucky break, 'cuz I'm leaving. Remember to stay hidden, and to say away from your land." (Slumps down and speaks in remorse) "It's not your home no more, it's da Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack's new territory, Area 7. And I'll have to live with dat knowledge for the rest of my life."

The newer arrivals exchange worried glances, but know they have no choice but to accept the reality of the situation. They can't return because doing so would put Kale's and all of their lives in danger. And the wolf has a good point. Ever since arriving, they have done nothing to repay him for going out of his way to get them to a safer location and stopping the shrews' assassination attempt on Richie, Brooke, and their family members. The least they can do is not make things harder for Kale than they already are, starting with letting him leave without a retort from them.

But as Kale had discovered the night he first met the hedgies, the other animals will realize that, although they can ignore the outside world, the outside world will not ignore them.

 **Note : (1)=Based on _Star Wars: Boba Fett: Sacrifice_ by Darkhorse Comics.**

* * *

 **Although a review would be appreciated, there's nothing stopping you from reading the next chapter. Do as you like, I'm happy either way!**


	12. Trust Issues

**Chapter 12: Trust Issues**

When Kale returned back home by himself, he informed his pack that their shrew paisanos had died when they sprang from their cover underneath his fur to try and kill Richie and Brooke themselves, only to be killed by Richie's and Brooke's families before Kale could save them. After all, the teen wolf couldn't simultaneously attack animals that were separated by five feet. The pack believed him because they recall how hotheaded the shrews were, so it only made sense that their desire for revenge would outweigh their common sense.

As per the codes of wolf society, Kale was accredited for killing the shrews' personal enemies, as the smell of beaver and raccoon in his breath confirmed. However, Leo was disappointed in how the young wolf failed to ensure the safety of one of the pack's most devoted paisanos. Hence, Kale's punishment required him to only eat the leftovers from the pack's meals until his standing in the pack (and wolf society) improved. The teen did not resist, did not take action, and did not complain. It was the fairest punishment he could have ever asked for.

But unbeknown to the pack, Kale had killed a different raccoon and beaver while returning home from seeing the hedgies; that was what they smelled on his breath. It amazes Kale how they still haven't figured out that he's been deceiving them. If the codes of wolf society were alright with a wolf helping out prey animals while fooling his pack, Kale would receive a reward. He'd also get a new name such as Bone-Chomper Devious, Trech (short for Treachery), or Sucker for making suckers out of everyone he knew.

Alas, there is no such a thing in the codes of wolf society, so Kale better make sure to keep his mouth shut for as long as he can.

Now, four days have passed, and the Bone-Chompers' hold over their new Area 7 is now complete. Part of that is the result of the additional paisanos the wolves used to replace their shrew ones. There is Abby the female crow, Olivia the female badger, Omar the male otter, Wesley the water moccasin/cottonmouth, Enas the male flying squirrel, Regina the female bobcat, and Freddy the field mouse. Like Hunter, Victor, Cole, Hale, and Francis, all of the new paisanos (and their families) were more level-headed than the shrews, and enabled the pack to have more than enough extensions of their will on land, air, and water. Composed of both nocturnal and diurnal animals, this kept all the animals in Area 7 on their toes at all times.

Another reason for the Bone-Chompers' complete takeover of Area 7 was because the resistance group has been all but routed. Kale didn't intend it, but having Cassidy and Reed move away put a serious dent in the resistance's forces. The mink and badger had respectively been the best speaker and fighter that the resistance had. The other leaders were able to gather more recruits and taught them how to fight, but the pace was too slow to combat the amount of new paisanos and the addition of a new wolf into the Bone-Chomper Pack.

* * *

Bone-Chomper B.T.K., short for Billy the Kid, is a male red wolf who came from the Deep South and thus has a hybrid Mafia-Southern accent, the latter having a stereotypical drawl. His face fur is gray, save for the white fur on his muzzle and neck, the latter of which looks like a filled-in V. As is natural of his species, his body coloration is predominately red, his legs from the carpals- and tarsals-down are white, his tail is a mixture of black and red fur that has a solid black tip, and he has a Y-shaped black pattern on his back in which the section that goes in two different directions is at his shoulders.

B.T.K. started out as Dogmeat Fox-Skin of the Fox-Skin Wolf Pack, so named because none of his victims ever lived after his first encounter, so they are considered dogmeat whenever he's after them. In that sense, he doesn't hunt because the very word of 'hunt' implies the possibility of failure **(1)**. Instead, Dogmeat kills **(1)** , and he was feared, notorious, and proud for that distinction, which made him perfect for the Bone-Chompers, and was what unique talent he brought into the pack.

In spite of his fearsome reputation, he actually has a colorful and humorous personality, as he is always telling jokes, making wisecracks, and having everyone in the pack feel that good ol' southern hospitality. Needless to say, his big mouth annoyed Dillinger who thought he had literally buried that kind of company with his Tuxedo-Coat family pack, but B.T.K. was actually competent when killing (again, not hunting) so Dillinger believed it was best to tolerate the newbie.

B.T.K.'s chin wagging was the result of how, whilst spying on humans for knowledge of the world from an early age, he became fascinated with Western movies and TV shows, since the outlaws in those reminded him of wolves. Outlaws in the Wild West were deadly, well-coordinated, and fearsome criminals that all creatures (including humans) feared, that could strike at any moment, and always slipped away or outsmarted those who tried to stop them. At first his Fox-Skin Pack believed all the TV would rot his brain and cause him to forget to be like a wolf, and try to be someone he is not like a human outlaw. However, the young whelp demonstrated that his skills as a wolf were enhanced by the Westerns he watched, so the Fox-Skins encouraged him to continue watching those programs.

Equally inspiring to his feats as a wolf were the stories he heard about the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. Their accomplishments and reputation made him a fanboy of theirs, and he vowed that when he grew up, he would be a member of that pack one day. His Fox-Skin Pack would always caution him not to dream too much, because if he failed his initiation for that pack, it would break him as a wolf. But confident that his success would make him as a wolf for life, he spent his whole teenage years improving his already-adequate strength, speed, intelligence, and ferocity, and by the age of 25, he had earned his current name Billy the Kid after achieving the same kill count and notoriety as that human outlaw.

Feeling like he was ready to make his childhood dream come true, he set out to find them, which took three years since he fell in love and married a female wolf who was tragically killed in her sleep by the a wolverine family who had lost one of their own to B.T.K. in the past. The mustelids fled in separate directions, and it took a while for B.T.K. to locate and kill each in fulfilling his vow to avenge his dead mate.

News of Kale's failed hunt almost made the Southern wolf reconsider joining the Bone-Chompers, but word of Kale's successful hunt re-convinced B.T.K. to realize his dream, which came true when he killed Vanesa's older brother and her children who came searching to avenge their sister and mother respectively.

It wasn't long after introducing himself to the pack that they started to enjoy Billy the Kid. Leo liked that B.T.K. preferred to face his opponents out in the open in the style of a western showdown, so the godfather connected with the newcomer pretty quickly. Kale liked B.T.K.'S jokes and Southern accent which brought a new "flavor" to the Bone-Chompers' dialect, and the others admired his tendency to kill instead of hunt.

All in all, the Bone-Chompers have benefited greatly with the newcomer, and couldn't imagine living life without him.

 **Note: (1)=Based on a Chuck Norris Joke by Ian Spectre.**

* * *

With B.T.K. at the Bone-Chompers' side, the prey animals in the resistance weren't able to keep themselves hidden. Those who did join them once it was promised the resistance would never leave their fellow members to die again were quickly discovered and disposed of. That, coupled with the help of the new paisanos, forced many of the remaining resistance members to flee.

And it's all Kale's fault, for sending Cassidy and Reed away. The prey animals in the woods by the Elysian Fields Estates are living like captives instead of real animals. Kale doesn't like that, and even thought that Leo's experience of being held captive in a zoo would make the godfather not enforce that kind of life on others, even prey. However, treating prey animals like that follows the codes of wolf society, and to question Leo's adherence to those without a good enough point will only make things worse for Kale. So he endures his burden and tries his best to find enjoyment out of how his deeds have gained the Bone-Chompers their greatest victory.

But this victory came at a great cost: the resistance became underground and now works in the shadows instead of out in the open. The resistance fighters have dwindled, but the resistance spirit is alive more than ever. They attack the wolves with booby traps and pranks instead of words and fists. For the booby traps, animals with superior digging abilities have made it a habit to dig holes—whether small like the one that Bugsy tripped over during Kale's second hunt, or deep pits hidden with leaves—almost everywhere, which have hindered and humiliated the Bone-Chompers considerably while on the hunt.

For the pranks, prey animals have re-marked many sections of the Bone-Chompers' personal areas of food and downtime, making the wolves mark their areas again. What's worse is that there is no one around for the Bone-Chompers to attack or blame when the pranks and booby traps occur, causing immense frustration among the wolves.

It seems like every kind of prey animal is doing it, but remembering the lesson of excessive cruelty that Kale had told them about, the Bone-Chompers can't just randomly attack whatever animals they want to set an example. That was what led to the resistance going underground in the first place, and now the pack is paying for it. Moreover, if all of the prey animals were scared away, then the Bone-Chompers won't have any food to sustain themselves. So in a matter of pure irony, the Bone-Chompers are stuck with the prey animals in Area 7 just like the prey animals are stuck with them; trapped by their own ambitions.

Frustration has gotten the better of the pack, and they go on search and destroy hunts daily. They are currently on one right now led by Kale, because he has the best inside knowledge of prey animals due to his time spent with the hedgies. Kale's experiences have taught him how prey animals value their families more than wolves, so the best way to find out who is in the new resistance is to capture family members and use them to blackmail their families. According to Kale, the best kind of families to do that to are those who have grandkids because the parents typically leave their kids in the care of their weaker-bodied elders while the parents are out having time to themselves.

The paisanos have identified quite a number of such families, and the wolves are closing in on a raccoon family.

 **B.T.K.:** "So ki-yiid, tell us more 'bout di-yis coon family."

 **Kale:** "It's composed of two male raccoons dat're married to each oth'a—"

Dillinger groans out a "Bletch" as he shakes his head side to side while giving a look of disgust.

 **B.T.K.:** "No kiddin', Dilly-Dill. Where I come from, folks like dem'id be tarred n' feathered."

Dillinger eyes the red wolf angrily and growls.

 **B.T.K.:** "What? Don't like da nickname 'Dilly-Dill'? Den how 'bout Dilly-Dilly, or Dilly-Dog, or Dillger, or—?"

Seeing how Dillinger's face twists angrier and angrier, and his growling becomes louder and louder, with each suggestion, Emmy decides to change the subject before a brawl can break out.

 **Emmy:** "So Kale, who else is in dis homosexual couple?"

 **Kale:** "Dey adopted a boy coon and a girl coon, and dee older dad coon's parents live nearby. Dat's where we're goin', assuming our paisanos' intel is correct."

 **Capone:** "It is, 'cuz I'm da one who helped our paisano locate 'em."

 **Gabby:** "But even so, can you's imagine how gross dat is? Havin' two males or two females for parents? Dat's almost as unnatural as da skunk marryin' the cat, and the raccoon maryin' da possum who Kale stayed with."

 **Clyde:** "Why _did_ those two different species get together, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "Dey said you's don't gotta be da same species ta fall in love."

 **Nelson:** "Talk about a bunch'a freaks. Dat's the stupidiest reason I ever heard."

 **Leo:** "Cut da chit-chat folks, we're close."

The wolves slow down and move stealthily. They soon see the raccoon grandparents singing "Round and round, and upsidaisy!" over and over as they spin their adopted grandson and granddaughter around, and lift them high into the air when saying "upsidaisy." The kids giggle with big smiles on their faces. To Kale's kid-conscience, the sight is just plain adorable, but his wolf-conscience tells him they are unaware and ripe for the picking.

The pack waits for kids to let out another loud giggle—the moment when the grandparents and grandchildren will be most distracted to their surroundings—and then rush in. Facing the opposite direction of the wolves, the grandparents feel a chill go down their spines when their grandkids let out a scream after seeing something in front of them. The chill only lasts a microsecond before the elders are overcome with surprise when they are knocked to the ground.

The grandmother rolls over and is about to cry out in horror at the sight of the Bone-Chompers, but it quickly cut off.

 **Bonnie:** "Don't even teenk about it."

 **B.T.K.:** "Scream n' yerr de-ad."

All four raccoons gulp and nod frantically, but don't make a peep.

 **Leo** (casually) **:** "All we want is a lil' cooperation, so do as we say and you's'll be unharmed. Kay?"

The raccoons nod again.

 **Leo:** "...Give us ya's grandkids."

 **Grandfather:** "W-what?"

 **Kale:** "You heard 'im. Cough 'em up, or we'll be coughin' up dare fur from our food pipes!"

 **Grandson:** "Pawpaw, NO!"

 **Granddaughter:** "Don't let the wolves take us, Meemaw!"

 **Capone:** "Dey've got no choice, pipsqueaks. Either you's comes with us, or we'll kill you's and take ya's grandparents instead."

 **Gabby:** "So stop wastin' our time! And if you's try ta hold onta ya's granny and grandpa while dey hand you's over, we'll rip ya's outta dare arms."

The threat is clear, and no raccoon resists as Bonnie takes the grandson and Clyde takes the granddaughter in their mouths by the scruff of their necks.

 **Grandfather:** "W-why are you doing this?"

 **Leo:** "Tell dose two's dads what we've done, and if dey ever wanna see dare kids again, dey betta come find us at da pond down a hill in two hours."

Kale's eyes widen at the mention of the location; that was where Plushie spent his downtime; where the young turtle had talked to his dead mother and believed she responded. To use it for a hostage pick-up and possible killing ground almost seems sacrilegious.

But Kale doesn't have time to feel uncomfortable, because his pack starts to run away. Bonnie and Clyde leave first, followed by Bugsy, Luciano, Emmy, and Capone. Nelson, Dillinger, Kale, Gabby, and Leo turn to follow, but stop when they notice Billy the Kid hasn't moved an inch. Leo opens his mouth to speak, but B.T.K.'s remark to the elder raccoons silences him.

 **B.T.K.:** "Next time, sing 'Red Rover,' because yew just 'se-yent yerr grandkids right over.' Yeeeeehaw!"

Satisfied with his joke once he hears Kale giggle, the Southern wolf runs off and those who had stayed behind follow him.

Once they catch up with B.T.K., Leo asks, "Do you's always gotta make a wisecrack after _every_ victory?"

 **B.T.K.:** "I don't see why not. Jokes're funny, dey make folks la-yaf. Kale here seemed ta enjoy it."

Eyes widening at Leo's glare, Kale quickly says, "Sorry, Leo. It's just da way he said it..."

 **B.T.K.** (while glaring at Kale) **:** "Y'all thank my accent is somethin' ta make fun of, bo-oy?"

Now afraid of B.T.K., Kale says to Leo, "Well, and you's gotta admit he _did_ do a swell job turnin' a cherished song inta a moment'a black comedy. It reminds me of da time I twisted dee endin' of the _Three Little Pigs_ story da prey animal family shared to da kids one time."

 **B.T.K.** (to Leo) **:** "If yew's have the ti-ime, yew should try ta ma-ake a witty comeback whenev'a ya's best a prey critter. It feels great! Fer example, before yew's use yerr claws to attack, tell the prey 'Sorry, but I's gotta _cut_ dis meetin' short.' "

Kale fights to hold back his laughter, but Nelson, Dillinger, and Gabby roll their eyes. To the latter wolves, it sounds like something the Rock-Busters would do.

However, Leo surprises everyone when he nods and says, "Dat actually doesn't sound too bad. I teenk I _will_ try it out...Thanks, Billy."

B.T.K. gasps and beams, with a big smile across his muzzle.

 **B.T.K.:** "He said ' _Thaaaaankssss!_ ' "

Even the wolves who were annoyed before now smile at the man-child's giddy tone. That was another thing that makes Billy the Kid so likeable. Even though he's 28-years-old, B.T.K. is still a fanboy of the pack and often can't help but gush head over heels in excitement whenever they give him praise. They are still his heroes and role models, after all.

With everyone's spirits lightened, the wolves resume their hunt. They follow Kale as he leads them to the grandkids, nieces, nephews, and little second cousins of many prey animals that the wolves view as primary suspects for being in the resistance. Each of the kids they abduct had been with their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and older cousins while the parents were away. Some had been taken during story-telling time, others during play time, and a few during nap time; Kale's knowledge of prey animals certainly has been paying off. The wolves told the panicking family members to tell the parents what they had done, and to meet them at the spot they had told the elder raccoons.

* * *

The hunt started off as just another hunt, nothing more and nothing less. But it became personal when the Bone-Chompers started running into bobby traps, which almost made them lose their hold on their hostages. When that occurred, another wolf ran after the foolish prey animals who tried to scurry away, and stopped the escape.

At first, the Bone-Chompers reacted to the traps in good humor. Most notably, upon falling into a pit hidden by leaves, B.T.K. had said, "I'm fine. Just decided ta 'drop in' fer a bi-yiiiit." But even Billy couldn't laugh at the situations when the traps became more dangerous as the wolves trekked along: gopher holes leading to snake dens and wasp nests, and pitfalls with sharpened sticks at the bottom. The wolves were able to grab onto the edges of the pits before falling in, and yanked their feet out of the holes before the serpents and insects could attack. But the mood had changed. Now they were angry.

The frequency of the booby traps and their location around the homes of some of the animals only seemed to confirm Capone's theory that the traps had been set up for protection against the wolves. That only served to frustrate the wolves, and frustration led to anger. The only reason prey animals weren't killed during the hostage abduction was because the wolves were still clear-headed enough to stick to the original plan. They would take their hostages to the location they agreed on, wait for their parents and relatives to come by, find out who was really in the resistance, and eliminate them. Only now, the wolves will take much pleasure in the "interrogation."

The 12-member wolf pack now sits around the pond where Plushie had had the time of his life, each one holding a young prey animal in their mouths. Bonnie and Clyde hold the raccoon kits, Leo and Emmy each hold a mole pup, Gabby has a possum joey, Nelson has a young gopher, Capone and Luciano each have a weasel kit, Bugsy and Kale hold baby armadillos, Dillinger has a badger kit, and Billy the Kid holds a nine-year old gray squirrel.

The families of those kids come to the pond right on schedule, each with a look of fear yet determination in their eyes. Most brandish sharpened sticks and a few have knives. The wolves aren't intimidated at all, and find the sight amusing.

One of the two raccoon dads holds up his paw to tell the posse to stop, then says, "Give us back our kids!"

 **Others:** "NOW!"

 **Leo:** "Sure thing, just whoever's in da resistance group come 'n step forward first. And betta be quick about it, unless ya's confident that all'uv ya's kids can grow gills in a hurry."

Leo gives the signal and the wolves dunk the children under the water. They hold them under, making the pond look like a Jacuzzi with their bubbles. Even underwater, the kids' screams are quite audible.

Half of the families gasp and the other half grimace in rage, but no one moves, waiting to hear the wolves make another demand. But the wolves do not make any other demands, they continue holding the children under the water.

 **Father weasel:** "Okay, stop it! I give myself up!"

He drops his sharp stick and his mate and teenage daughter drop the stones they had planned to throw. More animals follow suit as they come clean.

 **Mother weasel:** "We've been helping the gophers" (points to those animals) "dig the hole traps."

 **Uncle badger:** "And I helped my sister, her family, and the armadillos dig the pits."

 **Father possum:** "We sharpened the sticks at the bottom of those pits."

 **Aunt squirrel:** "I helped my brother and his family decide the best places to set up all those traps. Everyone else is innocent."

The wolves bring the children up from the water, the latter gasping for breath but are otherwise unharmed.

 **Leo:** "Come forward, ya sneaky lil' rugrats."

As the resistance members step forward, the other raccoon father has a demand of his own.

 **Father raccoon** (pointing to his mate and parents) **:** "What about our kids?! You got what you wanted, now let 'em go!"

 **Emmy:** "We ain't got what we wanted just yet. So be patient and keep ya's mouths shut."

 **Bugsy:** "Question for dee armadillo parents...Which kid is ya's favorite?"

 **Mother and father armadillo in unison:** "What?"

 **Kale:** "He said which of deese kids is ya's favorite one?"

 **Bugsy:** "Tell us before we drown 'em both!"

Bugsy and Kale put the young armadillos back under water. The parents look at each other in fear and dread, before taking a deep breath and nodding.

 **Father armadillo** (points to Bugsy) **:** "Yours! The one you're holding."

Bugsy nods at Kale and each brings up their hostage.

 **Bugsy:** "Say it again, so the other can hear it." (Smiles wickedly)

Kale looks at his brother in disbelief using his peripheral vision.

 **Mother armadillo** (full of sorrow) **:** "W-we love you, Clyde" (Points at Clyde) "m-more than Tommy..."

 **Busgy:** "Do it, Kale. Drown 'im."

Kale can't believe that his own brother would order something so cruel. For Tommy to die with that knowledge, and his parents to see it happening because of them, is something he'd expected the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs to do. But knowing that any hesitation would make himself and his pack look bad, Kale obeys as soon as the words leave Bugsy's mouth.

As he had done ever since his parents told him they loved his brother more than him, Tommy looks at his mom and dad full of anger and betrayal, all the way down until he is completely submerged. Wanting to end the kid's suffering as soon as possible, Kale uses his claws to cut Tommy's neck as he strangles him underwater, the teen's actions going unseen by his pack who assume Kale's grip was hard enough to cause a quick death.

The adult armadillos wail in loss during the whole process and collapse on their knees when Kale brings up the dead body, the wolf making sure he hides the neck wound he had made as he lays the armadillo on the ground.

 **Mother badger:** "You monsters! How could you put them through that?!"

As if that wasn't enough, Bugsy ignores the badger, looks down at Clyde, and asks, "Which parent do ya's love da most?"

The armadillos run up to Bugsy and grovel at his paws.

 **Father armadillo:** "Just kill us both, right now!"

 **Bugsy:** "Unhand me, you _worms!_ "

Bugsy shoves them back with his free forepaw and looks back down at Clyde.

 **Bugsy:** "Last chance, chico. Tell me, or you'll die just like ya's brother!"

 **Note** **: "Chico" means "boy" in Spanish**

 **Clyde** (while crying) **:** "MOMMY! I love mommy more than daddy!"

 **Bugsy:** "Kale, drown 'im."

Kale nods and does what he's told, while also repeating the same neck cut he had done before, to end the father armadillo's life quicker. Bugsy then drowns Clyde and his mother.

The next 15 minutes consists of the wolves killing their hostages first, and then their families. Not all did it by drowning. Leo and Emmy eat the moles, Gabby asks what limb the possums valued the most and breaks those before scoring a killing claw blow, Capone and Luciano repeat the same process with the weasels as Bugsy and Kale had done with the armadillos, Nelson lands a killing bite on the gophers, Dillinger snaps the badgers' necks, and B.T.K. strangles the squirrels.

Kale hides it, but he felt uncomfortable during the whole process. He would have preferred to bite or claw the armadillos he killed, not make them suffer as their oxygen is lost from drowning. He also would have felt better if more of his pack members ended their victims quickly and painlessly. Wasn't that the idea of how to deal with members of the resistance from now on?...But then again, there wasn't an audience this time, save for the raccoons, so the wolves could be as brutal as they wanted.

In the end, only the raccoon family is allowed to walk away. Even during the execution, the raccoons offered to be killed if the wolves would spare some of the families who were truly guilty, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Now that it's over, the wolves start loudly congratulating each other. Distracted by their own indulgences, Kale is able to sneak off and catches up with the raccoons.

 **Kale:** "Listen up, coons. You's need ta leave dis forest, and I know a place where you's won't be found. It's located—"

 **Father raccoon:** "Don't come near us, you monster!"

 **Other father raccoon:** "You drowned a child! A CHILD!"

 **Kale:** "Shh! Keep ya's voices down or my pack'll hear ya. I _didn't_ wanna do it...But I had ta listen ta my brother or else I'd be in trouble. Now I'm serious, go to—"

 **Grandfather raccoon:** " 'Get into trouble'?!" (Sarcastic) "Oh, yeah that is _SO_ horrible. The only thing worse than you getting into trouble is, I dunno," (genuinely angry) "death by drowning and maiming!"

 **Kale:** "For da love of Mother Nature, I'm tryin' ta help ya's live. You's gotta—"

 **Grandmother raccoon:** "Are you nuts?! We're not gonna listen to you! Not after what you did!"

 **Voice:** "What in da hootenanny is goin' on he-ere?"

Kale looks over his shoulder and joins the raccoons in staring wide-eyed at B.T.K., who is with the other Bone-Chompers.

 **Kale** (yelling at the raccoons) **:** "You's made me do this!"

Kale bites and claws the raccoons dead in a blind rage, all of them. Once finished, he pants in what his pack thinks is exhaustion, but instead is in horror at how the raccoons could have lived if he _hadn't_ tried to save them. He just killed two middle-aged males, a young boy and girl, and an elder male and female. They evaded the execution only to die by his paws and teeth...

Kale truly feels like a monster now.

His frantic thoughts of repeating "No soy un monstruo" in mind are suddenly interrupted when a paw lands hard on his shoulder.

 **Note** **: "No soy un monstruo" means "I'm not a monster" in Spanish.**

 **B.T.K.:** "Kewwwwweeeeeee! Atta bo-oy, Kale! You messed dem varmits up real gew-ood!"

 **Luciano** (touching his chin with his fingers like a fashion critic) **:** "Messy, but efficient." (Gives a thumbs-up) "Dat's my hermanito!"

 **Emmy:** "But what did they mean by, 'not listenin' ta you'?"

 **Kale:** "Oh, um, I offered ta make dem paisanos."

 **Capone:** "Why in da heck would you's think dey'd agree?"

 **Kale:** "Well...I...offered ta secretly help 'em take you's all down. Which was a lie, of course. I just wanted ta increase our odds of findin' da real animals responsible for keepin' da resistance alive. So we'd get deese whole S&D hunts over with."

Thankfully, the others take Kale's pauses as being caused by embarrassment, instead of him lying.

 **Leo:** "I can tell you's eager ta end all opposition to us in dee area you helped us get, but make sure ta use ya's head better next time."

 **Kale:** "I will, Leo."

 **Capone:** "Inna way, it's actually better for dose coons ta be dead. They'd hate us so much after what we made 'em witness, dat they'd become part of da resistance demselves."

 **Emmy** (nods) **:** "You're right, Capone."

Dillinger nods while humming "Mm-hm."

 **Kale:** "So I guess dis, and my efforts in executin' dee armadillos, makes up for me not bein' able ta protect our shrew paisanos, eh?"

Kale knows exactly what the answer is when Leo sighs.

 **Leo:** "Sorry, Kale, but we know dat you's not strong enough ta have strangled dee air outta the armadillos ya killed ta have finished 'em so quickly."

 **Capone:** "Dat, and while you was off with da raccoons, we noticed da cuts in da turtle-rats' necks. You's didn't drown 'em like you was told to, you let da wound kill 'em faster than da water."

 **Emmy:** "Normally, we'd be okay with dat, but deese weren't normal prey critters, they were rotten mutineers. They deserved a slow n' painful death, 'specially for givin' us so much trouble with the booby traps they helped make."

 **Kale:** "But I did da same thing I did while stayin' with da prey animal family, only I actually killed 'em after tormentin' them. That should be proof of my _full_ success."

 **Leo:** "I regret ta inform you's dat we've got somethin' ta say about that too. Don't inflate ya rank when dealin' with prey animals. Keep in mind dat successes against prey animals whom you blackmailed is much lower on da success scale than being good at killin' prey animals on da spot."

 **Kale:** "What about deese?" (Points at the patches of raccoon fur on the ground)

 **Emmy** (points at the raccoon fur) **:** "Though your efforts were commendable, no one ordered ya ta kill 'em by drowning. When your superior tells ya ta drown someone, you betta drown 'im."

 **Bugsy:** "And I set up dat opportunity for ya ta improve ya'self, Kale, but you blew it."

Kale digs his claws into the ground in the same way someone would clench their fists in rage.

 **Kale:** "You's...all'uv you's...just can _**never**_ be satisfied, can ya's?!"

 **Leo:** "Kale, don't you's dare have anoth'a tantrum. We won't let it slide like we did last time."

Kale loudly groans out some words in Spanish, but otherwise keeps his cool. Because the other wolves' understanding of Spanish is rusty at best, Gabby asks Luciano, "What'd he just say?"

 **Luciano:** "You don't wanna know."

 **Kale:** "You want me ta be crueler ta prey," (Bitter sarcasm) "den how 'bout we just start treatin' 'em _all_ like I did dat family dat took care of me!?"

Kale shakes his head in dismay and starts walking away to be alone, but stops and turns when he hears Leo speak.

 **Leo:** "Actually, dat's not a bad ideer..."

 **Kale:** "What?"

 **Leo:** "You treated 'em like ya's slaves, forced 'em ta do impossible tasks, made 'em spoil you's rotten, and controlled every aspect of dare lives...If dat won't make the resistance show 'em'selves back out in dee open, den nothin' will."

 **Emmy:** "What about not creatin' four more rebel groups while putting down one, and not scaring our food away?"

 **Leo:** "Dat's the rub...Wolves like us can exist thanks ta groups like dat. But so we won't be directly linked to it, we'll have our paisanos do most'a the slave-drivin'. Dat way, when someone tries to attack our loyal servants, we'll have just cause ta put 'em down. Kale, you's a genius!"

 **Other wolves:** "Yeah!"

 **Kale** (confused) **:** "I, uhhh," (Confident) "am glad you's wanna use my concept, Leo!"

 **Leo:** "Since you's dee expert on slave-drivin' prey critters, it's your task ta teach our paisanos how ta treat others."

 **Kale:** "You can count on me!"

 **Leo:** But as you well know, your suggested plan has ta be successful before you's earn back da privaledge ta eat da same amount of food as us."

 **Kale** (in a sigh) **:** "Yes sir."

 **Bugsy:** "Chin up, Kale. You's got three months'a experience in doin' this, so it'll be no time before you can go ta bed with you's belly full again."

 **Kale:** "Den what am I waitin' for? Paisano Victor is close by, so I'll talk ta him first."

No one objects, and Kale leads the way.

* * *

Two days later, Kale is eating full meals again. His plan works beautifully. As if it wasn't hard enough living under the rule of the Bone-Chompers before, prey animals now have to do chores for the wolves and their paisanos, or face the consequences. This does give resistance sympathizers a new cause to free the animals from their slavery, but such sympathizers are easily found and dealt with. The booby traps are still a problem, but now that the prey animals are kept busy doing other things, there isn't much time to dig new ones. And having to re-mark territory is more of a nuisance than a threat, so that tactic has all but failed.

As for Kale, he can't deny how good it feels that even he, the lowest of the Bone-Chompers, gets unconditional respect and fear whenever prey animals see him. He had gotten it before in the past, but something about achieving it through his own efforts makes it feel special. It's like prey animals have to worship the ground he walks on, and the continuous praise he gets from his pack is a great change. He truly has improved as a result of spending time with the hedgies, and has made any blunders of his backfire into successes.

He is revered by prey and his pack, is given respect whenever in the presence of others, and has helped the Bone-Chompers become better than the best. His parents are most definitely proud of him, just like he is proud of himself, something he thought he'd never achieve in such a strict pack.

What more could a wolf ask for?

Oddly, a lot because Kale feels like something is missing from his life, and that something is the hedgies. Fear and respect are good, but Kale wants love and kindness in his life, it's just empty without it. He's part of a pack, but they don't feel like family, not even his brothers. He wants real friends who know the real him—the kid who wants to play and be loved—not colleagues who only care about bettering the pack.

It is because of that desire, and the need to talk about the trauma of killing the armadillos and raccoons, that makes Kale make another trip to the hedgies' dwelling. Thankfully, he's earned enough prestige to be able to leave his pack without permission and not raise any questions. He never thought he would have to use it for this purpose, but is glad for it.

* * *

Just as things have been better with Kale, things are better with the hedgies' relationships with the families of Brooke, Mark, and Ladarius. Living close together in the same cabin will do that to anyone, but the real reason is because the skunks, beavers, and flying squirrels have finally forgiven the hedgies for ipso facto causing their miseries. The kids and parents can fully enjoy each other's company yet again.

The same cannot be said for the shrews who are finally getting a taste of their own medicine. They are only allowed to have food and water whenever the other animals feel like giving it to them. It's still three meals a day, but the shrews have gotten so used to being spoiled rotten that it's almost unbearable for them. And speaking of prison, the rodents are confined to a bread box most of the day while everyone else gets the freedom to move around the whole cabin. The downside is that their whining has moved on from being pleasurable to the ears of the resistance founders to now being annoying. But no one breaks and continues to stick to the regimen, hoping the shrews' internment will reform them.

But a knock, brief conversation, and door-opening later proves that no one can get used to the sudden appearance of a wolf, even if they do know him well and don't view him as evil.

 **Verne:** "Welcome back, Kale."

 **Kale:** "It's good ta see you's too, Verne."

 **RJ:** "Why are you here? Is there more trouble going on in your life?"

 **Penny:** "Jeepers, your pack hasn't been mistreating you again, have they?"

 **Kale:** "Dat's not why I'm here...Things've been going perfectly for me. My pack's domination has ended da resistance."

Cassidy and Reed gasp.

 **Kale:** "Oh yeah, forgot you's two're here. Dat's not good news for you's..."

 **Reed:** "So everyone else who we know was in it is dead?!"

 **Kale:** "Not everyone. The rabbit, the possums, and doves ran away. To where is anyone's guess. But I'm mainly here ta talk ta dem," (Points at the hedgies) "so if you's don't wanna be around me after hearin' dat info, I'll und'a'stand."

They don't, and they leave to go into one of the two bedrooms, shutting the door behind them.

 **Kale:** "Anyway, we've gotta new wolf in my pack now, Bone-Chomper Billy the Kid or B.T.K., who's from the Deep South. Colorful guy. I've also become just as respected and feared as Leo himself now dat my successes have outweighed my failures."

 **Ozzie:** "Well...that's...good to know..."

 **Kale:** "I get ya, Ozzie. You's all proud dat my life has gotten betta, but not about how dee animals back home're sufferin'. But it's just normal occupation, I assure you's. We don't kill unless it's absolutely necessary..." (Slouches down) "And when I did have ta kill, I really felt bad about it. Here's the worst things dat've happened..."

Kale goes into detail of his thoughts about killing the armadillos and raccoons, how much he wanted to avoid it and how bad he felt afterword. Even the surviving resistance members and their families, who have been eavesdropping on the conversation with the bedroom door cracked, can't stay mad at Kale for killing children. His mercy kill of the armadillos, trying to save the raccoons, and how he killed the raccoons under the fear that they would tell his pack about him trying to send them to the hedgies' location, rather than in bloodlust, proves that he's still a decent kid.

 **Kale:** "What can I do ta make myself get over dose deaths?"

 **Verne:** "You _shouldn't_ get over those deaths. The best thing to do is remember them as instances when your true nature showed even in the most horrible circumstances. How you tried to make things better for them out of the good of your heart."

 **Kale:** "But...dey was just kids..."

 **RJ:** "No one said it would be easy. The pain will never go away, it'll just hurt less over time. Don't forget I had to kill innocents while living with Vincent. The memories of their faces still haunt me, but I completely changed as a result of this family." (Spreads his arms out to show the hedgies on his left and right) "That's my way of repaying my debt to those I've wronged, to become a better guy. And oddly, now that the area you took over is under your pack's full control, you won't have to kill as many innocents. Right?"

 **Kale:** "Yeah. Pretty much so."

 **Christine:** "Well, to change the subject we've been doing well too."

Everyone's attention is then diverted to the bread box when the shrews start shouting.

 **Morty's voice:** "Not all of us! Save us, Kale! Living with these guys is a nightmare!"

 **Tiffany's voice:** "We'll change! We'll be good shrews from now on!"

 **Tabitha's voice:** "We promise!"

 **Kale and the hedgies in unison:** "Shut up."

 **Morty's voice:** "Can we at least have a few more air holes?"

 **Reed:** "If you three don't stop interrupting their conversation, we'll plug up some of your _existing_ air holes!"

 **All three shrews in unison:** "Aiegh!"

 **Tabitha's voice:** "Ok, you win!"

 **Tiffany's voice:** "We'll be quiet."

 **Quillo:** "Anyway, check it out, Kale: we've got all of our electronics back!"

 **Spike:** "Hotwired the cabin to the transformer that the rest of the summer camp uses!"

 **Rachel:** "Hooked up the refrigerator and TV!"

 **Emma:** "Can jump and climb on the furniture!"

 **Claire:** "And not have to worry about rain anymore!"

Kale nods in appreciation as he follows each teenagers' fingers pointing at the things they described.

 **Bucky:** "And if you have the time, we'd like you to play a round of videogames with us."

 **Kale:** "I'd love to! But in all seriousness, you's've been livin' da dream, eh?"

 **Hammy:** "Boy have we! We may never wanna live in another log ever again!"

 **Verne:** "Speak for yourself, Hammy. This place is great, but it's fostered a bit of laziness in us all. Right, RJ?"

 **RJ:** "What're you looking at me for?"

Verne crosses his arms while giving his friend a wide smile, which makes RJ come clean.

 **RJ:** "Okay, I've been the laziest of us all. But we've _all_ been lounging, so that's not too much of an exception."

 **Kale** (chuckles) **:** "Oh, _**dis**_ is why I really came here! Ta interact with ya's, or just hear you's interactin' with each oth'a, like a real family!"

Everyone looks at Kale in question.

 **Heather:** "Wha'dya mean, Kale?"

 **Kale** (speaks in melancholy) **:** "Don't ya's get it? I feel incomplete without you's. I feel good, but not happy. My pack doesn't wanna have fun like you's do, doesn't give me advice like you's do, and...*sigh* doesn't love me like you's do. I mean, dare treatin' me better than ever, but the love just doesn't feel real. Even with all dat I've gained in recent days, I still crave ta be with you's."

Rebecca can really relate to how Kale feels unloved in spite of being in the presence of his family and pack, but she's glad she can't speak of this when Velma brings up a more important matter.

 **Velma:** "Why're you acting like that's a bad thing, Kale?"

 **Kale:** "Because I've become attached to you's, which is somethin' a wolf should never feel towards prey. I should be satisfied and happy with bein' a wolf and in my pack, but I'm not. I shouldn't have ta risk my skin, and yours, ta see ya's, but I do because I miss you's. I...can't quite explain it."

 **RJ** (walks up and puts a paw on Kale in reassurance) **:** "I can."

Kale and everyone else looks at the raccoon, both prey and predators willing to listen to another insightful message.

 **RJ:** "I went through the same thing the first week I met this family. I came in with a clear goal in mind: use them to help me get Vincent's food back. But to earn their trust I had to spend time with them, interact with them, and ask them questions—sounding familiar?"

Kale nods, his eyes growing wide as he makes the connection.

 **RJ:** "The more I did that, the more I enjoyed myself, and the more I enjoyed being around them. I had done this before with other animals, but these folks were different. They truly treated me as family, instead of just some cool guy who popped into their lives out of nowhere. It wasn't until they made the Pad for me that I realized I had lost track of my goal. I did the one thing I shouldn't have done: let my feelings mix with my objective. I felt so guilty at how nice they were being to me, while having no idea that I planned on stealing the food from them and leaving them behind."

 **Kale:** "Just like I intended ta go back to bein' a wolf and nev'a have to see any of you's again, or even think about ya's. How do I make that feelin' go away?"

Everyone gasps and looks at Kale indignantly.

 **Kale:** "Uh, dat came out wrong."

 **RJ:** "Sure did. Why would you want that feeling to go away?"

 **Kale:** "It's not that I want it to, I just _have_ to. Because unlike you, I'm a predator who has a pack ta get back to, and a life ta live with them; a life dat's literally dee polar opposite of the one you's're livin'."

 **RJ:** "I told myself that too, minus the predator aspects. But I was searching for a new life and family ever since I reformed, and discovered just that when I was forgiven by these wonderful creatures."

RJ had raised his eyebrows twice while saying "reformed" and Kale nods as he catches how that was the raccoon's way of saying "stopped myself from committing suicide" with the family listening.

 **Kale:** "I've been searchin' for someone ta love me like my parents did, and you's folks're the only candidates. And dee irony is that I can't have dat kinda life. My pack'll become suspicious, find out our secret, and kill us all. I don't wanna put ya's lives at risk, but I also can't give up seein' you's from time ta time."

 **Hammy:** "As long as you make sure you're not followed, you can still come and see us."

 **Kale:** "But it's dangerous ta temp fate. Good luck doesn't last forever."

 **RJ:** "But the love of family does, and you need that to get through your life as a predator. And I've got an idea of how to make that luck last. (Turns around to face the others) "Is everyone okay if we have to keep moving around just so Kale can see us and not risk getting caught by his pack?"

The hedgies nod without hesitation.

 **Kale:** "Y-you'd do that for me? After all da bad things I've done...?"

 **Verne:** "Absolutely. Because...we've become attached to you ourselves."

 **Kale** (raises an eyebrow) **:** "Really? How so?"

 **Marilyn:** "It may sound weird, but I like your accent. It sounds cool and tough!"

Kale snorts and smiles.

 **Bucky:** "Do we really have to explain how much fun it is playing video games with you? I mean, I've been playing with these noobs" (Points at his brothers) "and their girlfriends for so long that I've got 'em all figured out."

 **Quillo, Spike, Rachel and Emma in unison** (offended tone) **:** "Hey!"

 **Bucky** (to Kale) **:** "But you're unpredictable and devious, and we've all been missing playing with someone like that."

 **Rick:** "I miss having to gather packaged meats for you. You won't believe the rush a raccoon gets when he has to raid a fridge during every raid."

 **Ty:** "Yeah!"

 **Roger:** "That's our daddy!"

 **Luby:** "And my hubby!"

 **Mary:** "I never got to hear or see you howl at the moon. If I'm going to know a wolf, then I _have_ to experience that."

 **Rogan:** "You're the best wolf we've ever known because you give your species a good name, in our definition of 'good.' "

 **Sarah:** "We want to keep interacting with someone like you, because it helps erase the memories of the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way packs."

 **RJ:** "And helping you with your problems has given Verne and me a plenty of chances to deal with the issues of teenagers."

 **Verne:** "One day our kids will be your age and we'll be better prepared to solve the problems they have."

 **RJ:** "You're like a nephew to me."

 **Verne:** "And me."

 **Kale** (while shedding tears of happiness) **:** "I never knew I meant so much to all of you..."

 **Verne:** "Believe me, you do."

 **RJ:** "We wanna keep seeing you as much as you wanna keep seeing us, and we'll take whatever measures are necessary to keep that happening."

 **Kale:** "Aye dios mío, I wish we could hug each oth'a right now...But we can't 'cuz my pack would smell ya's scents on me."

 **Stella:** "Can't you just wash it off?"

 **Kale:** "I don't wanna take a chance."

 **Tiger:** "If that is what you want, then we shall respect your will."

 **Kale:** "Speakin' of will, I think it's time for me ta get back home."

 **Emily:** "What about playing one match with us?"

 **Kale:** "Next time, when I come just to hang out with you's instead of advice for problems I'm facin'."

 **Verne:** "Then take care, Kale."

 **Kale:** "I will."

The animals open the door and wave the wolf goodbye, not shutting the door until they can no longer see him. They feel happy for each other and the wolf, knowing that their relationship will last longer than they could imagine. Kale knows they can all make this work out, that he will be able to keep seeing them. He would move in with them if he wasn't bound to his pack by vows, family connections, and the codes of wolf society. At least he has a place that he can go to whenever he needs a break from his pack.

Kale feels happy again, and happier still that he can keep feeling that way from now on.

But this very arrangement has been predicated on a lie. When RJ had asked Kale if the need to kill innocent animals in Area 7 had passed, Kale didn't tell the truth. In reality, the only way to maintain the Bone-Chompers' hold over Area 7 was to kill those whom the paisanos and the pack viewed as failing their tasks. But he dared not mention it to the hedgies, because they'll never want to see him again if he did, and he needs to be able to see them.

Hours later, someone else is in desperate need of seeing the hedgies. Someone who knows the truth of what is going on in Area 7.

* * *

Everyone is sleeping until the sound of something or someone knocking on the door of the cabin wakes up the hedgies and their friends.

 **Voice:** "Let me in! _Please!_ "

Hammy is the first to identify the one outside, and his spirits lift higher than they have in a long time.

 **Hammy** (gasps) **:** "SCARLET!"

He zooms over to the door and tries to pull it open, his eagerness to see his girlfriend making him forget that opening the door is a two animal job.

 **Scarlet's voice:** "Hammy? Oh thank goodness it's you! Let me in!"

Hammy looks over his shoulder and can't believe that no one has moved to the door yet.

 **Hammy:** "What're you waiting for?! Help me open the door!"

 **RJ:** "Don't forget our 'procedures,' Hammy."

 **Hammy:** "But, but, but!"

RJ raises his paw and gestures for Hammy to calm down, then nods at Rebecca who starts climbing up the lamp by the window.

 **RJ** (to Scarlet) **:** "Were you followed? Be honest, because if you lie we're not letting you in."

Hammy is about to yell at RJ for being so harsh on Scarlet, but the wink the raccoon gives the squirrel lets Hammy know that RJ understands her enough to know she won't lie. And he's right.

 **Scarlet's voice:** "Well...Someone _is_ looking for me, but I shook 'im off. I swear!"

 **Hammy:** "C'mon let her in!"

 **RJ** (to Scarlet) **:** "Will this pursuer try to search for you again? And remember about telling the truth."

 **Scarlet's voice:** "...Yes. And he'll have a wolf to help him."

The others harden their expression and shake their heads "no," much to Hammy's sorrow.

 **Scarlet's voice:** "I just need a place to stay for the night, and then will keep running in the morning."

Hammy looks desperately at the others, whose expressions soften as they can't turn away someone who is going through a hard time. And perhaps they can think of a solution to get Scarlet out of her pickle if they all work together. So RJ nods at Heather who climbs the chair and opens the door.

Scarlet rushes inside and flings her arms around Hammy.

 **Scarlet** (frantically) **:** "Oh, Hammy! I knew if anyone could help me, it would be you and your family! I've been searching for you for hours! I knew you weren't dead, I just knew it, because you're too fast to let any wolf eat you! I'm sorry for not seeing you sooner, but I don't wanna spend another moment apart from you!"

 **Verne:** "Whoa, whoa. Slow down. First off, who are you running from? And why is this person after you?"

Scarlet lets go of Hammy and points for him to go join the others who get into a semicircle, ready to have another story time.

 **Scarlet:** "Here's what happened..."

* * *

Scarlet is gathering some acorns to take back to her dwelling. Her mind is racing as she has to be on the lookout for wolves. She is so focused on that, that she doesn't realize she has taken more than she can carry. As she turns to leave in the direction of her home, she feels the acorns shifting to the left and tries to move herself so that they balance. Then they start shifting to the right, and as soon as she moves to regain balance the top three acorns fall. She focuses more on preventing more acorns from falling that she neglects her footing. She trips over one of the fallen acorns, falls backwards, lets go of all her acorns that fling into the air, lands flat on her back, and gets showered by the acorns as they fall back to the ground.

Scarlet sits up with a groan of frustration and mumbles, "Well isn't _this_ just dandy..."

She starts gathering up the acorns, when she hears someone.

 **Voice:** "Looks like you could use some help there."

She turns and sees a male American red squirrel standing two feet away from her with a shy smile on his face.

 **Red squirrel:** "Lemme give you a paw with that."

 **Scarlet:** "Thanks."

As the male red squirrel gathers half of the acorns, Scarlet doesn't notice him "checking her out" while her back is turned and her attention is concentrating on gathering the remaining half. While doing so, his shy smile and concerned eyes turn into a smirk and a leer, but go back to being shy and concerned when she faces him again.

 **Scarlet:** "Thank you so much for your help, Mr...?"

 **Male red squirrel:** "Please, no Mr. is necessary. Just call me Victor."

Scarlet's eyes widen and she drops the acorns she had just gathered in her arms, her danger-alerts going off in code-red levels.

 **Scarlet:** "Victor? As in the pieaso of the Bone-Chompers?"

 **Victor:** "It's paisano, and yes, I am in league with them."

 **Scarlet** (scoffs) **:** "What do you want? Come take my hard-earned food?"

 **Victor:** "Are you kidding? I've got enough food to fill my belly five years into the afterlife. What I _want_ , is you."

Scarlet knows what he really means, but past experiences with her arranged mate have taught her that it's better to keep creeps like Victor talking and pretending that she's dumb. Then, when he least expects it, she will fight back.

 **Scarlet:** "What for? To be your slave, just like you've been ordering so many others to be your slaves."

 **Victor:** "Why would I ever want someone as gorgeous as yourself to do slave work?"

 **Scarlet:** "If you think I'm just skin and bones, you're wrong. I'm stronger than I look."

 **Victor:** "I know...I loved the way you snapped the wooden bird feeder stand to get the seeds inside that you gave to the poor and downtrodden. And when you carried a wounded adult ferret half way across the entire forest back to his home."

 **Scarlet:** "It's called being generous and kind, you should try it—Wait! You've been spying on me!?"

 **Victor:** "You are an amazing specimen. Your fur nothing short of perfection, your voice as pleasant as the sound of a gentle summer breeze, your scent lovelier than the ripest of rose petals...But the worst thing about you is that you're single." (Drops the acorns and leans forward) "A gem such as yourself deserves a companion."

 **Scarlet:** "Thanks, but power-hungry stalkers like you, who betray your fellow species and prey animals to work with wolves and make everyone's life a wreck while making your own wonderful, aren't my type."

 **Victor:** "Oh, you just don't know the real me. Once you get to know me, you'll find I'm not as bad as you think."

 **Scarlet:** "Aren't you already married?"

 **Victor:** "What's wrong with polygamy?"

 **Scarlet** (matter-of-factly) **:** "Um, _a lot_."

 **Victor:** "Think about what you'll gain if you choose me: you'll never have to forage ever again; you can make others fulfill your every desire; you will be living comfortably in the largest and strongest tree in this forest; protected by the best wolves to ever walk the earth. And if anyone makes fun of you, you can order them to be dealt with. All of that can, and will, be yours, if you but only agree to become my newest bride."

 **Scarlet:** "Hmmmmm. Tempting offer, but the answer is no. I've been down this road before—offered all of my wishes to come true at the cost of being stuck with a creep I'll never love—and I'm _not_ going down that path again."

Victor grabs her arm hard and gets his face inches away from hers, eyeing her like something he intended to eat as his next meal **(1)**.

 **Victor:** "I don't think you know who I am. I'm not your average creepy stalker. I am a paisano of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. What I want, I get."

 **Scarlet:** "Then get this..."

Scarlet hits Victor in the gut, punching the wind out of him. He bends over, whereby she takes his head and slams it into her rising knee, knocking him to his feet, only for him to lose balance and fall on his back.

 **Scarlet:** " _You're_ the damsel in distress here! And when a lady says 'no,' she means it!"

 **Victor:** "That's it. You've sealed your fate."

Victor sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly. In an instant, several other squirrels, possums, and a few raccoons appear on the ground and in trees.

 **Victor:** "Loyal slaves, run her out of town. Don't fear her strength that you'll take a licking from, fear _my_ _wrath_ when I bring a Bone-Chomper wolf to kill you if you fail!"

The other animals then chase the frightened Scarlet away. As she runs, Scarlet overhears Victor's words.

 **Victor:** "You blew your chance to be my bride. Now, I'm just giving you a head start before I come hunting _you!_ "

 **Note** **: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: Inferno**_ **by Troy Denning**

* * *

 **Scarlet:** "I don't know how long it'll take Victor to tell one of the wolves to search for me, but when he does, I'll be finished."

 **Reed:** "That coward! Using his slaves to do his dirty work when you had him beaten!"

 **Cassidy:** "That's how all the paisanos are, hiding behind the backs of others because they're too spineless to do anything themselves."

 **Hammy** (hugs Scarlet) **:** "We can protect you, Scarlet. We've defeated bears before, so a wolf will be nothing."

 **Rick:** "Don't forget about Kale, Hammy. If anyone from his pack sees that we're still alive, he's as good as dead too."

 **Scarlet:** "Did you just say, Kale? As in Bone-Chomper Kale?"

 **Hammy:** "He's the wolf we helped nurse back to health. He's really an okay guy, he just has a lot of bad influences in his life."

 **Scarlet:** "It's Kale's fault that everyone back home is in this mess to begin with! _He_ led the hunt that captured the best food area for his pack, which led to the takeover of the whole territory. _He's_ the one who told the paisanos to start treating others like slaves! That means _he's_ the reason why innocent animals are being killed left and right—adults _and_ kids!"

The other animals look at each other in shock, then turn to RJ who faces Scarlet.

 **RJ:** "What do you mean?"

 **Scarlet:** "At first, the wolves punished those who truly disrespected them, but now they're just killing anyone whom the paisanos want—proof or not of their disloyalty—and just for fun. The paisanos have also begun to use forced labor, usually accompanied with abuse by a wolf and even death if the prey animals that're working fail at the tasks they're assigned, which are nearly impossible to accomplish."

The hedgies look at each other in disbelief. It's like everything that Kale pretended to do to them when they put on a ruse for his pack observers has now been applied to all the animals living in the woods of the Elysian Fields Estates. Kale had lied to them again, said that the senseless killings were over, but they're not. They then think back to the wolf's most recent visit, how he complimented them at how they're living the good life.

They look around at their electronics, the furniture, and even the cabin itself. It's just borderline insulting and disgusting that they've been living it up while everyone else in the forest has been living in Hades.

They can't take it anymore.

They look at RJ, their eyes gleam with the same fire as his own.

 **RJ:** "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

 **Animals:** "YES!"

 **RJ:** "Good..." (To Reed and Cassidy) "With all due respect, your resistance accomplished a lot, but the real reason it failed was because there was no one in it who had experience with defeating predators—like me and my family! As of now, we're revitalizing your resistance! With us in charge, not even an entire wolf pack can stand against us."

Reed and Cassidy nod, glad to hand over the leadership role to RJ.

 **RJ** (to everyone) **:** "Ladies and gentlemammals, and reptiles, it's time to stop hiding and start doing something! It's time to take back our home! And I've got just the know-how to do it!"

The other animals let out a long and loud cheer. They then gather around RJ as he pulls map of the forest out of his bag.

* * *

It's nearly dawn now, and Kale is helping Victor locate the red squirrel's "runaway bride." Being that Kale has the best sense of smell out of any of the Bone-Chompers, he is the primary candidate for the job. But unlike the shrews, Victor is smart enough to ask one other Bone-Chomper to come along with them. In this case, it's Billy the Kid whose reputation of never losing his prey makes him the perfect wolf to tag along.

Victor is currently lying down on top of Kale's head, the squirrel's paw touching his forehead in a search gesture in spite of how the rodent doesn't have good night vision. But like a true paisano, he'll do anything to puff himself up as important.

 **Victor:** "Onward, bosses! Even I can smell her now! She will be _mine!_ "

 **B.T.K.:** "Y'alls really want dis lady squirrel, don't ya's?"

 **Victor:** "If you saw her and you were an American red squirrel, you'd want her too."

 **B.T.K.:** "But yerr already married. Won't yerr wi-yif not approve?"

 **Victor:** "Believe it or not, she's okay with it, as long as I make sure to love her more than Scarlet. That's why Scarlet's just gonna be my mistress."

 **B.T.K.:** "Still sounds me-essed up ta me. But yerr one of our paisanos, and we's got nothin' better ta do right now-ow, so we're happy ta oblige yerr reque-est."

No one talks for a few minutes, until Billy the Kid breaks the ice.

 **B.T.K.:** "Yerr sure bein' awfully quiet, Kale. Somethin' botherin' ya?"

 **Kale:** "Oh, I'm just concentratin' is all. And with all due respect, you's two need ta do the same, 'cuz we're almost there."

The squirrel and other wolf nod and the silence resumes. Kale is lying of course, because the real reason he's being so quiet is because his mind and heart are racing. He recognizes the place they are in: it's the summer camp where the hedgies are staying. Even worse, Kale's nose tells him that Scarlet is located in the abandoned cabin. He has been so stressed of what he'll do if B.T.K. discovers the hedgies and other families that the Bone-Chompers have been targeting for personal reasons. Although B.T.K. is new to the pack, he has been brought up to speed about Kale's time with the hedgies, so the moment he sees them, he'll react in the same way as if he was a Bone-Chomper who had observed them.

Kale doesn't know what to do if that happens. Should he try to lead the paisano and fellow pack member astray, should he knock those two out when they discover the hedgies, should he try to kill them, should he help the hedgies subdue them or fight against the hedgies like he's supposed to? He can't decide and it's driving him nuts.

He doesn't have long, because they are now within eyesight of the cabin.

 **Victor:** "Aha! I bet she's in there!"

B.T.K. sniffs then nods and says, "She sure is."

 **Kale:** "Sí."

 **Victor:** "So what's the plan? Break down the door? Jumps through the window? Dig and come up from under the floor?"

 **Kale:** "Don't be silly, Victor. Dare's got ta be boards und'a'neath that cabin."

 **B.T.K.:** "Da kid's ri-ight. So let's find a rock and 'kick some glass' by entering da window. The front door's prob'ly locked up tight."

Kale is so worried that he doesn't even laugh at the pun like he normally would.

 **Victor:** "Hey, mister, watch your mouth. There's a kid here." (Points down at Kale)

 **B.T.K.** : "Oh, don't worry ya'se-elf. Kale's a big boy, right?"

 **Kale:** "Y-yeah. Let's go ahead 'n search for a rock."

 **Victor:** "What're you so nervous about? It's just one lady squirrel."

 **Kale:** "Y-you've heard da rumors 'bout dis place bein' haunted?"

 **B.T.K.:** "Aw, quit yerr superstitious fantasies, Kale. Don't make me take back callin' you's a big boy."

 **Kale:** "You want proof of a big boy, den let me break da window. Bet'cha I can crack da whole thing in one rock toss."

 **B.T.K.:** "Ha! Yerr on! If ya do, I'll let you have half'a all my food ferr three weeks."

 **Kale:** "Suena bien."

 **Victor and B.T.K. in unison:** "Huh?"

 **Kale:** "Oh, 'sounds good.' "

 **B.T.K.:** "Why couldn't y'alls just say it in dee common tongue?"

 **Victor:** "Why can't we just focus on getting my bride back, ASAP?"

 **B.T.K.:** "C'mon, kid. Start rock-searchin'."

It doesn't take long to find a suitable rock and Kale takes it in his right paw. He looks at it, then at the window, then back at the rock.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Dare's no goin' back now...Even if I can somehow warn 'em, Victor and Billy will hear them tryin' ta get away. Dis might be dee end..._ "

Knowing that any hesitation would cause more problems than they're worth, Kale breathes deeply and hurtles the rock, making as loud a "Grrraahhhhhhh!" as he can to try to warn the hedgies.

The entire window crumbles to pieces with the impact, and Kale quickly jumps through, ready to face the music. Instead, all he encounters is a vacant cabin. Not even the electronics are present.

 **Kale thinking:** " _What the? Where'd they go?!_ "

 **Victor:** "Oh, Scarlet, _baby_ , I'm ba-aaaaack!"

Victor looks around and sees no one in the cabin.

 **Victor:** "Well don't just stand there, look for her!"

 **Kale:** "Dare's no need. Check it out..."

Ignoring the sound of B.T.K. jumping inside, Victor follows Kale's pointing paw and discovers, to his chagrin, the lower half of a red squirrel's fur lying on the sofa. The image reminds Kale of how the mentally insane cougar duped him and his parents, but fortunately Kale doesn't have to worry about being fatally attacked by a squirrel. Even better, the hedgies aren't here, so his secret is safe.

 **Victor:** "We've been tracking a bunch of her shaven fur this whole time?!"

 **B.T.K.:** "We-ell, looks like our task just got a little 'hairier.' "

Kale ends up cracking up, not so much at the joke, but at how thankful he is that things didn't turn out as bad as he thought they would.

 **Victor:** "Oh come on, kid. This isn't funny! We gotta track her down all over again."

 **B.T.K.:** "What we really need ta do is ge-it back home. Da pack needs yew ta keep ya slaves in line so no one gets any bright ide-as to resist our domination."

 **Victor:** "But what about my mistress?!"

 **B.T.K.** (to Victor) **:** "If yew wanna keep bein' a paisano, den y'all betta think about listenin' ta yerr superiors."

 **Victor** (whining like a spoiled brat) **:** "But I wa-aaant herrrrrr!"

 **B.T.K.:** "We did di-is favor fer yew, now yew do yerr duty for us. Gotta problem with tha-at?" (Gives a scowl showing his teeth)

 **Victor** (sighs) **:** "No, boss."

 **B.T.K.:** "Besides, somethin' tells me we'll find yerr 'sweetheart' somewhere on da way back. Now let's skedaddle!"

Kale and Victor nod, then head back the way they came. But before jumping through the window again, Kale takes the time to muse one thing in regards to his former caretakers.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Wherever you's are,_ stay _hidden._ "

* * *

The next afternoon, Victor is laying back on a comfortable branch overlooking the forest floor where his animal slaves are busily working to gather him and his family some nuts. He is sipping some fruit punch while a female possum fans him with a fern. He may not have Scarlet with him like he wants, but he can still enjoy himself with his new life as a paisano.

Before, he and his family had to struggle to forage for nuts, and often got the scraps and leftovers that no other squirrels and herbivores bothered to collect. Those foodstuffs usually weren't enough to fill their bellies, and they often went to bed hungry. No one else shared their food with them either, making Victor's hatred grow. Then the Bone-Chompers came and asked Victor if he wanted to work for them, to which he said yes.

But unlike most paisanos, who assist the wolves for food and protection, Victor does so to get back at all the animals who never shared food with him or his family. He doesn't agree with the Bone-Chompers' dreams of glory and conquest, he just wanted an excuse to make as many animals as possible know the kind of life he and his family had to live. And how sweet it is to have his dreams come true.

 **Victor:** "Ahhhhh. This is the life. Don't you just love working for me?"

 **Possum:** "Oh, y-y-yessir, yessir!"

 **Victor:** "Just think about it, what would us animals do without the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack to establish order in a place that has none? I'll tell ya, we'd devolve into a free-thinking chaos. I mean, there has to be _some_ limits to freedom, otherwise everyone would do whatever they wanted, and a lot of folks wanna do bad things to others. The wolves' occupation keeps us safe from ourselves, and our fellow neighbors. Isn't it grand?"

 **Possum:** "Yes, yes! Very grand!"

Victor takes another sip of his drink, then hands the glass over to the marsupial.

 **Victor:** "Gimme a refill."

 **Possum:** "Yessir, yessir!"

The possum climbs down the tree and goes to a cooler stashed at the base. A minute later, Victor sits up, wondering what's taking the possum so long.

 **Victor** (impatiently) **:** "When I said I wanted a refill, I meant it by _today_."

 **Possum's voice from below:** "Coming! Just had to dig through the cooler to find the same flavor."

Victor raises an eyebrow at how he swears the female possum seems to sound different, but then shrugs it off as being his imagination.

 **Victor:** "Still, if you're not up here by the time I count to ten, you'll be doing hard labor down there with the rest of those slaves, got it?!"

 **Possum:** "Yessir. I'm climbing up right now."

 **Victor:** "One...two...three...four...five...six...seven. Ah, there you are. It's about ti—HUH?!"

Victor only has time to notice one thing before the possum acts. The marsupial isn't carrying his fruit punch, but a rag full of chloroform, which she puts to his face. With widened eyes, Victor also notices that the possum is not the same one from before. The one who he sent to get his drink had brown eyes, black fur, no bangs on her forehead, and all-black ears. The one in front of him has white fur, blue eyes, has bangs in the center of her forehead, and white spots on her ears.

Victor gasps on reflex, which only make him inhale the chloroform faster. He starts feeling dizzy, his muscles are unable to move in self-defense, and his vision goes dark.

Before he passes out, he hears the possum—who is none other than Heather—tell him, "Scarlet sends her regards."

* * *

Once Victor is out cold, Heather looks down at the crowd of slaves who are gaping up at her.

 **Gray squirrel:** "Y-you just, killed him?!"

 **Heather:** "No, I used chloroform to knock him out."

 **Gray squirrel:** "We're free! Everybody, we're fr—!"

 **Heather:** "Wolf at ten o'clock!"

The crowd gasps as they turn, but see nothing.

 **Muskrat:** "There's no one there."

 **Heather:** "Correct, that was to stop you from cheering, so you won't attract a wolf's attention for real."

 **Mink:** "You just tricked us?"

 **Heather:** "You tricked yourselves first, thinking you were free. As long as the wolves occupy these woods, none of you will be free."

 **Raccoon:** "Are you part of the resistance?"

 **Heather** (nods) **:** "Yes, a new resistance. And this time it'll succeed."

 **Gray squirrel** (scoffs) **:** "Humph, heard that before."

 **Heather:** "Did the previous resistance have chloroform before? Did the previous resistance come up with an ingenious plan to outsmart a paisano before?"

The crowd looks at each other in shock and realization of the truth of Heather's words, then collectively look back, giving her their full attention.

 **Heather:** "What I did here is just a warm-up compared to what schemes the new resistance plans on doing. What I've done to Victor is the first step in an elaborate trap we're setting up. Unlike past resistances, the one I'm in has plenty of experience defeating other predators. My name's Heather, daughter of Ozzie the opossum and the mate of RJ the raccoon. You've heard of us, right."

Most of the animals nod.

 **Mink:** "You're the ones who took care of that wolf, the very one whose hunt led to the takeover of our home!"

 **Heather:** "My family and I finally realized how much of a mistake that was. So now, we're gonna make it up to all of you. We're gonna free you from the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. We'll teach you to be as resourceful as us with items obtained from the human world. Just agree to join us, and to keep things quiet...I know some of you might want to run and tell the wolves about everything I've said, because you're afraid of what will happen if the wolves discover what I've done here. I _know_ you're scared, I'm scared too, but it's better to take this risk than to live like slaves for the rest of your lives, amiright?"

Everyone nods, no matter how fearful they are. They can't stand living a life where they always have to watch what they say and do, always have to be ready to be beaten or asked to do forced labor, and always have to expect death at any moment.

 **Heather:** "If you don't join us, then all of your children and grandchildren will grow up under the worst circumstances. We animals need to be free. This area isn't a zoo, it's the wild, so it makes no sense to be prisoners in our own natural ecosystem that humans are forbidden to enter. If you join this new resistance, you're not helping me out, you're helping _yourselves_ out. If you want to be a part of the fight for freedom and win, then follow me as I leave."

Heather puts Victor in her pouch, climbs down to the ground, and walks in the direction her family is staying. To her delight, everyone who had been slaving for Victor follows her.

 **Heather thinking** (with a smile) **:** " _Step One complete. Time for Step Two._ "

* * *

At roughly the exact same time, the other adult hedgies were able to quietly subdue the other paisanos as each family member follows RJ's tactic of doing the same successful strategy Heather had used on Victor, thus using the paisanos' own luxury against them. Scarlet led them to each of the paisano's dwellings whereby RJ captured Wesley the water moccasin, Verne captured Hale the turtle, Velma captured Omar the otter, Lou captured Olivia the badger (with Reed helping move her), Penny captured Cole the groundhog, Rick captured Hunter the great horned owl (with Rita helping move him), Luby captured Francis the mockingbird, Rebecca captured Enas the flying squirrel, Annette captured Regina the bobcat, Rogan captured Abbey the crow, and Stella captured Freddy the field mouse. All gave similar speeches like Heather's, while also mentioning how the amount of prey animals vastly outnumbers the wolves, and all were equally successful in that all the slave animals joined them. No one went to go report to the wolves despite the risks and reprisals that will inevitably follow, which meant they were sick and tired of living under the Bone-Chompers' control.

The prey animals initially didn't understand why the hedgies didn't want to kill the paisanos, putting them in cages far away from the forest instead. But after explaining that is was because those animals might serve as leverage against the wolves, the other creatures again understood how much better the hedgies' resistance plans were.

Abducting the Bone-Chompers' most loyal and useful allies so the wolves won't have any outside support was Step One. With that done, Step Two called for the hedgies to train the rest of the forest animals in how to use objects from the human world as weapons. This required lots of raids in the suburbs to obtain anything that could be used as a bat or club, which the hedgies expertly performed without any issues. What made this challenging was having to train the multitude of other prey animals in small groups, because the wolves, who already became suspicious about the disappearance of their paisanos, would know something big is being prepared if more than half the prey animals in a certain area were away training. But with the paisanos gone, the wolves lost their omnipotence, which meant the training continued on schedule and maintained its secrecy.

Even so, the Bone-Chompers conducted many interrogations to discover what happened to their paisanos. Kale is attending one right now with Capone, who is questioning a family of rabbits.

 **Capone:** "I _know_ you's bunnies were workin' for Paisano Olivia the day she disappeared."

 **Kale:** "What happened to 'er?"

 **Father rabbit:** "A porcupine just came in while we were busy working for her and knocked her out. He had some kind of liquid in a rag that he put to her mouth and it made her go to sleep."

 **Capone:** "Where was she taken?"

 **Mother rabbit:** "We don't know."

Capone reaches over and grabs one of their 14 children, causing the parents to panic.

 **Father rabbit:** "Don't hurt her!"

 **Capone:** "Lemme ask you's again, and _dis_ time, no lyin'! Where was Paisano Olivia taken?"

 **Mother rabbit:** "The porcupine had a badger with him who helped him carry her. They started dragging in the opposite direction of where we were."

 **Kale:** "And none of you's so-called loyal slaves tried to rescue her? Dare _is_ a punishment for passiveness, y'know."

 **Father rabbit:** "We tried to run after her, but the badger threw a smoke bomb. Everyone was caught in it; we couldn't see or breathe. By the time the smoke went away, they were gone, and our noses were too irritated to track her by scent."

 **Mother rabbit:** "That's the truth, we swear!"

Capone leans into her face and says, "A smoke bomb, eh? Hmmmm. Our pack has heard da same story 'bout a smoke bomb from _all_ dee oth'a animals we've been interrogatin' about our missin' paisanos." (Sarcastic) "What a coincidence, don't ya's think?"

 **Father rabbit:** "Wait, others besides Olivia have been taken?"

Kale smacks the rabbit in the face and says, " _We's_ askin' da questions here!"

 **Mother rabbit:** "W-w-well, the smoke bomb is h-h-how it happened to O-Olivia." (Desperately) "We're sorry for not being able to save her! J-just please, don't punish our kids! Punish me and my mate!"

 **Capone:** "Kale, are deese stubby-tails tellin' da truth?"

 **Kale** (to the adult rabbits) **:** "Be still."

He sniffs the parents in the chest as he has been sniffing the air while they had talked. When he's done, he says, "Dey's not lyin'."

Capone releases the daughter rabbit who hugs her parents and siblings.

 **Capone:** "Tanks for ya's cooperation. Keep an eye and ear out for anythin' that might indicate what happened ta Olivia, and report it to us immediately. Failure ta comply will be punishable by death. Do I make myself clear?"

The entire rabbit family nods frantically.

 **Capone:** "Now go back ta ya's worthless lives."

The rabbits scurry away as if their lives depend on it. Kale and Capone watch them until they disappear in their burrow.

 **Kale:** "So what now?"

 **Capone:** "We go to meet with dee oth'as at the rendezvous point. Dey should be done with dare own round of interrogations by the time we arrive."

Kale nods and the two walk off. But Kale is lying to his fellow pack member yet again, because the rabbits were lying about the smoke bomb and how the porcupine and badger were the ones who took Olivia away. Kale has smelt the scent of fear and nervousness not from the speakers, but from the rabbit who was listening to the other rabbit speak. The latter was concerned if the words his/her spouse said were convincing enough for the wolves to buy. From that observation, Kale could accurately theorize the rabbits' unspoken truths, that they willingly let the porcupine and badger take Olivia, and there was no smoke bomb.

And as for Kale, he decided to play along with the lie because he feared for his own skin.

 **Kale thinking:** " _A porcupine, a badger, and a smoke bomb...Dare's only one group of animals who fits_ that _description: RJ's family and their friends._ "

There is no doubt about it. The hedgies have returned and had abducted the paisanos. For what reason, Kale can only wonder. But he plans on finding out. He has been unable to locate their scents so far because they have been using scent-ridding spray. Although that may fool the rest of his pack, Kale's nose can locate them by homing in on the scent of no scent. However, he must do it when he's alone, which is easier said than done because to wander away now would rouse suspicion toward him by his own pack. He must wait—or better yet, create—the opportunity to slip away, and to make sure he finds them first before his pack does.

His chance comes when his pack meets up at their designated meeting spot in a gully. He waits for them to give their reports, which are basically the same as the one he and Capone experienced, takes a deep breath, reassures himself that he can do this, and then puts his plan into motion.

 **Leo:** "So what we need ta do now is—"

 **Kale:** "Wait! I smell somethin'!"

 **Luciano:** "What is it hermanito?"

 **Leo:** "You's better have a good reason for interruptin' me, kid."

 **Kale:** "How does 'I've located da scent of Paisano Cole' sound?"

 **Leo:** "Where is he?"

 **Gabby:** "And how come I can't smell 'im?"

 **Emmy:** "I can't either."

 **Clyde:** "Same here."

 **Kale:** "It's 'cuz he's three miles away."

 **Capone:** "Why didn't you's smell him before now?"

 **Kale:** "Gimme one second." (Sniffs) "Aha! Clever varmits...Whoever captured him must've used scent-ridding spray on 'im. Maybe Cole managed ta get away from his captors and get in water ta wash off the spray."

 **Leo:** "Then lead da way, Kale."

 **B.T.K.:** "Track 'em down like an Injun, ki-yid!"

 **Kale:** "Dis way!"

Kale leads the pack onward for 15 minutes, then stops all of a sudden.

 **Leo:** "What's wrong, Kale?"

Kale takes a deep sniff and says, "Now I can smell Paisano Regina about three miles dis way." (Points to the left of the path he has been leading his pack) "I'll go find her, you's keep trackin' Cole."

 **Bugsy:** "I still can't smell his scent. How do we know which way ta go?"

 **Kale:** "Fine, gimme a minute..."

Kale takes a full minute to sniff the air then looks back at the pack and says, "Go straight for 100 yards, right for 50 yards, go around the waterfall, then straight for 80 yards, diagonally left for 70 yards, straight for 30 yards, diagonally right for 150 yards, down a hill, take a left for 65 yards, then finally go straight for 70 yards."

 **Luciano:** "You's heard my lil' bro, let's go people!"

 **Nelson:** "I'll go with Kale."

 **Kale:** "Aw c'mon, Nelson. Let me have _my_ moment ta shine doin' something on my own."

Emmy looks at Leo who nods, then she says, "You betta succeed, Kale. Come with us, Nelson. We can't afford ta let Kale's directions become dated in dee event Cole moves somewhere else."

Nelson nods, and the pack and Kale go in the opposite directions. Kale makes sure that his pack is no longer in seeing or hearing distance, and then backtracks the way he came.

Five minutes later, and he can smell the scents of the hedgies, their friends, and several other animals. He can also hear RJ's voice as he's giving instructions of some kind.

 **RJ's voice:** "Center. Good. Now up high. Good. Duck to dodge. Good. Down low. Good. Sweep the legs. Good. Now hit the—" (Sniffs) "Actually, take a break, folks. My whole family and I gotta check somethin' out."

 **Many voices:** "Yes, RJ."

 **Kale thinking:** " _He picked up my scent. Bueno._ "

Kale waits for the hedgies to come to him, and when they emerge, he intends to start the conversation. However, they beat him to it.

 **RJ:** "It's about time you found us."

 **Stella:** "Yeah, we was gettin' worried you wouldn't show up until Step Three of our revolution."

 **Kale:** "What're you's doin' here?! And wha'dya mean, 'Step Three' and 'revolution'?!"

 **Verne** (matter-of-factly) **:** "What does it look like we're doing? We're teaching the other prey animals in this forest how to fight so we can take back _our_ land from your pack."

 **Kale:** "Estás loco?"

 **Note** **: "Estás loco?" means "Are you all crazy?" in Spanish**

 **Rick:** "On the contrary, we're as sane as ever."

 **Ozzie:** "We're just tired of listening to you lie to us."

 **Kale:** "What lie?"

 **Rebecca:** "Tell him, Hammy."

 **Hammy** (speaking fast and without pausing) **:** "You told us you didn't have to kill innocent animals anymore now that your pack had full control of these woods. But the night after you left, Scarlet came to us running away from a guy named Victor who was trying to force her to marry him. She also said how your pack has been killing more animals than ever under your paisanos' orders and how they're enslaving and hurting others like you pretended to do to us!"

 **Kale** (eyes widen) **:** "Oh, maldita sea todo."

 **Note** **: Kale just said "Oh darn it all," in Spanish. As before, it can also translate as "Oh d**n it all," but remember that I never swear in my OTH stories. So I insist with all of my power as a writer that it says the former phrase and not the latter.**

 **Lou:** "Given your tone, it sounds to me like you admitted you lied to us. Again!"

 **Verne:** "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. And we _are_ ashamed of ourselves...for associating with you! You've deceived us for the last time, Kale. You've gone too far this time! How dare you subjugate others and lie to us about it!"

 **Kale:** "I..."

 **Velma:** "Don't even try! Scarlet said you yourself taught the paisanos how to start treating other animals!"

 **RJ:** "So we've decided to come back to talk some sense into you and make things right. Starting with how we captured all of your pack's paisanos."

 **Kale:** "Yeah, I figured you's did that ta our paisanos. But don't you's get it? Every time I've lied ta you's is ta keep you's from bein' killed! I also didn't wanna lose the opportunity to keep seein' you's. I really _do_ need your love and advice ta live with myself...If I told you's what things were _really_ goin' on here, you'd never wanna see me again."

 **Luby:** "Wanna know what _really_ makes us not want to see you again? When we find out how you lied to us, and how that lie makes others' lives miserable!"

 **Verne:** "We wouldn't want to drive you away for telling the truth. Even though we'd be angry with you, at least we wouldn't think you're a two-faced delinquent who's only trying to cover his own rear."

 **Kale:** "Guys, please! I really did mean to keep you's from doin' somthin' foolish! I...can't live without you's. Seein' you's die would be worse ta me than gettin' kicked out or disowned from my pack, and all'uv wolf society! You know why? Because if all of that happened, I would still have you's to come to."

For the first time during the conversation, the hedgies' posture and faces soften.

 **Kale:** "I'm sorry, alright? I am sorry for lying to all of you, even if it was to protect you and me...I promise to never lie to you again, no matter how bad or dangerous the truth is. Just, please leave."

 **RJ:** "We forgive you, Kale. We do. But it's too late to go back now. We're too deep into helping our fellow prey animals regain their home to just abandon them. We left them once, we'll never leave them again."

 **Kale:** "Grahh! I was hopin' not ta have to do this..." (Steps forward and gets in an attack stance) " _Leave_ before I'm forced ta kill you's."

 **RJ:** "Tell your pack to leave our home, or we'll reveal ourselves to them."

 **Kale:** "Todos ustedes _realmente_ están locos...They'll banish or kill me, and kill you's for sure!"

 **Note** **: "Todos ustedes realmente están locos" means "You all** _ **really**_ **are crazy" in Spanish**

 **Rogan:** "Even death is better than sitting by doing nothing while our friends and fellow creatures suffer."

 **Kale** (looks at Rogan and Sarah quizzically) **:** "You's're willin' ta go through what you did with the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs _again?_ "

Sarah walks up to Kale and stands tall, then says, "Absolutely. But we were alone before. Now, we have a large family with us, and lots of experience fighting other predators."

 **Rogan:** "If we die, we'll die as a family and with the peace of mind that our efforts will set all prey animals free. What's the worst that could happen?"

Kale can see it in their eyes—everyone's eyes, even the meek Bernard—that they are dead-set on this. He still can't believe it, but at the same time he'd expect nothing less from this group of animals. That they took this chance **(1)** to come back and put their lives on the line to free their home of his pack's oppression, speaks of their desperation—but also of their courage and determination to regroup and keep fighting **(1)** for what they believe in.

Kale wants to call them crazy again, try to tell them that they will be like lambs before lions, try to tell them to call off their pointless revolution, but as before their words have rendered him speechless. He is torn apart yet again and doesn't know who he should side with. Should it be his pack, the wolves he had grown up with, two of whom are his biological brothers, who trained him to become a killing machine, who he had shared in their successes and failures, who mocked him all his life, who continue to rub in his failures, yet who recently have given him the respect and praise he has been craving all his life? Or the hedgies who respected him from the start, never insulted him except in defense, knew the real him and wouldn't want to change him against his will, who gave him the love and care that he had always wanted, and taught him more about life than his pack or parents combined?

The family sees him pausing and concentrating to mull things over, and give him all the time he needs to work things out on his own. The fact that they allow him this time already sets things in their favor. As his brothers, his own flesh and blood, had demonstrated, his pack would make the decision for him without his consent, and force him to go along with it or else he'd face banishment and disownment...just like all wolf society does to its species.

Then of course there is Stella's words that the wolf will never forget: " _Just keep in mind that none of this changes the fact that you still owe us. We're the ones who helped you that night, not you're_ pack." He will always be indebted to them for saving his life, and not only has to repay them, he _wants_ to repay them

Third and most importantly, there is the fact at how much they have done for him since he rejoined his pack, and what little he has done for them in return. They were willing to abandon their log and their possessions and move from home to home daily in order to keep his pack from discovering they were still alive for his sake. They were willing to comfort and help him solve whatever problems he had going on in his life, and forgive him when he continually betrayed their trust by lying to them, and when he and his pack had killed or wounded their closest friends.

How has _he_ repaid _them_ for their kindness and selflessness? Answer: led a massacre, helped his pack take over their home and rule it with an iron fist, secured paisanos who he taught how to become brutal slave drivers, killed innocent children, and hide them from the reality of it all so that he'll be safe from his pack's wrath. That means they're not the crazy ones, he is. Risking their lives by coming back to teach their fellow prey animals how to fight against their wolf dictators isn't just the sane thing to do, it's the _right_ thing to do.

 **Kale thinking:** "We're _in da wrong here, not them..._ "

That is when Kale realizes it...He is probably the worst kid who ever existed in the world. Everything he has done, he has done for himself, for his own glory and ego. He's simply messed up in the head, no different from the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Packs—no, worse, like the Bone-Chomper Pack. He's going to Heck for all that he's done, and he deserves to. But there is one way he can fix it all, one way he can redeem himself and save his soul from eternal torment. He never believed that kind of stuff before, but after seeing the efforts these animals have gone through to reclaim their home, not to mention their past successes, there's no doubt anymore for the canine that there _does_ exist a higher power. And it's on their side, not his or his pack's.

So he chooses the good side, the right side.

 **Kale:** "I think it's about time I fully return the favor for all that you's've done for me...I promise to talk ta my pack and _try_ ta get 'em ta leave. Because I doubt that'll work, let's make suicide—and by dat I mean goin' against my pack in a fight—a last option. If you's gonna succeed against 'em, den you've gotta know about 'em; how they fight, how they think, and what dey won't be expectin'."

 **Hammy:** "Oh! Story time! Wait a second!" (Zooms and away and comes back two seconds later with a bag of popcorn) "Okay, ready!"

Understanding the seriousness of Kale's words so far and what he is about to say, no one even laughs at Hammy's randomness. Instead, they sit down and listen to Kale.

 **Note : (1)=Based on _Star Wars Tales of the Bounty Hunters: Of Possible Futures_ by M. Shayne Bell**

* * *

 **Ooooo! What's going to happen next? Thankfully, you don't have to wait to find out; it's all part of my Holiday's gift to you all (at the time of this chapter's posting on 12/21/2018)!**


	13. The Forest Battle

**Chapter 13: The Forest Battle**

As the Bone-Chompers arrive back at their dwelling, the waiting Kale can tell things will already get off to a bad start. Each wolf is giving off the scent of frustration and anger, and Leo doesn't try to hide this in the slightest.

 **Leo:** "Track, Track, Track. You's're startin' ta lose ya's touch with da _one_ _thing_ that makes you a valuable member ta our pack: ya's nose."

 **Emmy:** "We followed ya's instruction perfectly, and found no trace of the missin' Paisano Cole."

 **Bugsy:** "It's almost as if Cole was never there ta begin with...Like ya's sent us on a wide goose chase, _Track_."

 **Kale thinking** (in dread) **:** " _Oh boy...He's just as mad with me as dee oth'as,_ and _is callin' me my mock-name..._ "

 **Luciano:** "And I think we've got an idea of why dat is, Track."

His brothers slowly approach him and sniff him all over, a minute later they step back and nod.

 **Bugsy:** "Da prey critters who took care of ya are still alive..."

 **Kale:** "What the?! I was so careful! Dey never touched me! How'd you's—?!"

 **Bugsy:** "We were Sniff-Trackers too, Track. Our noses might not be as good as yours, but they're good enough to still pick up dare scent on you's. The faint kinda scent that happens whenever you's within three feet of 'em for a while."

 **Kale thinking:** " _Oh no, I took too long explanin' ta them about my pack._ "

 **Bonnie:** "You's lied ta us all. You nev'a killed 'em when dey finished healin' ya."

 **Luciano:** "You lied ta us," (Points to Bugsy and himself) "ya's own brothers!"

The jig is up, there is no more hiding it. Kale knows this, and since his punishment will be most severe, he's got nothing else to lose, so he doesn't hold back.

 **Kale:** "Dat's right. I played ya's all for suckers. Not only dat, but me and dem were pretendin' all along whenev'a one of you's rotten leeches came by ta observe me."

 **The pack in unison:** "You WHAT?!"

 **Kale:** "You's heard me! I pretended ta be in charge over 'em, and dey pretended ta be my slaves. It was all a lie, and you's fell for it like a buncha naïve whelps! Da fact that it worked proves just how smart I really am, and how _stupid_ all'uv you's are!"

 **Gabby** (yelling) **:** "You little—!"

She dashes forward and hits Kale in the face, while Clyde bites him in the legs, bringing him down on the ground. The other wolves starts biting and clawing Kale all over, even his brothers. Oddly, they aren't hitting him too hard, but he's still being hit by very strong wolves, so it hurts nevertheless. Not to mention that Kale knows why they aren't beating him with their full strength.

 **Kale thinking:** " _They're not done with me yet...Dis is just the warm-up of my punishment._ "

It goes on for a full minute, by which time Leo says, "Enough!" to make them all stop. They obey instantly, and when they back away to give Leo some room to start talking to his godson, Kale is covered in bite marks and claw marks, his fur is badly ruffled, he's bleeding in a few places, he feels agonizingly sore, and he's panting from pain-induced exhaustion.

 **Leo:** "How often have you been seein' 'em since rejoining our pack?"

 **Kale:** "As often as I needed to...*Pant* Which was whenev'a I felt bad about da way you's were treatin' me, and when I did heinous things ta prey critters. Which is why I told a few oth'a families—like da ones dat Luciano, you's, Dillinger, and Capone have been targeting, as well as a few resistance ones—to run away and be safe."

Leo leans close enough to Kale's face to touch it with his tongue if he so desired.

 **Leo** (glaring) **:** "Didn't ya's parents and we teach ya's not ta play with your food?"

 **Kale** (grins slightly) **:** "I _was_ playin' with 'em...whenever we duped you's like idiots!"

Leo hits Kale in the left eye and says, "Don't go all smart-aleck on me, kid! Wolves _toy_ with dare food—we torment 'em as we kill 'em—but we never get in cahoots with 'em!"

 **Kale** (chuckles weakly) **:** "Dat's so like you's, Leo...Always referencin' the codes of wolf society, 'cuz you's don't know nothin' 'bout true family virtues!"

Leo hits Kale on top of the head and says, "Fine, since you value family so much, wanna know somethin'? You's've been shamin' ya's parents ever since you's united with da prey animals. If Eddie and Sharnese were here, dey'd have joined ya's bros in givin' ya a beating!"

 **Kale:** "Yeah...I know dey would."

 **Leo:** "So why? Why deceive us?"

 **Kale:** "Because you's would'a killed me or banished me, bein' the zealot follower of the codes of wolf society dat you are."

 **Leo** (expression softens and in an honest voice) **:** "I would never do that...I made a promise ta your parents, and unlike _you_ I'm honorin' my vows ta those of my own species. I was fine with dee idea that you was stuck with us as much as we're stuck with you's. Don't get me wrong, you'd have been beaten and chewed out anyway, but we'd never kick ya's outta da pack."

 **Kale** (eyes widen) **:** "Den...What about the deal you made with my brothers?"

 **Leo:** "You's not dee only one who can lie like an expert. Dat was just ta give ya's some motivation ta improve ya'self, and for the most part, it worked."

 **Bugsy** (turns in Leo's direction) **:** "Wait, what?"

 **Luciano** (gets in front of Leo) **:** "You's were never gonna kick us out if Kale failed?

 **Leo:** "Of course not. Our pack needs you's three ta get ta where we are now, which is da best wolf pack in America. Dat alone is hard enough, but maintainin' dat standing is a never ending process."

 **Bugsy:** "But we...My hermano and I were willin' ta turn against our own hermanito for you's!"

 **Leo:** "I counted on ya's loyalty and blood connection with Track ta ensure he wouldn't mess up when he did the things he did that helped secure our hold on this territory. You's two are gonna move up in the ladder of wolf society for sure because of that. But we're gettin' off-topic and need ta return to what dis meeting's really about."

 **Emmy:** "So one more word about the deal my mate made with you, and I'll make you's my 'special prey.' "

Bugsy and Luciano face Kale, the look of betrayal and sorrow in their eyes is legitimate enough to convince the teenager that they truly can't believe their own literal godfather would do that to them.

 **Leo:** "And lemme guess, Track, you's voluntarily agreed to let dose prey aniamls help ya's?"

 **Kale:** "Sure did..."

 **Nelson:** "Traitor!"

 **Capone:** "Yeah!"

 **B.T.K:** "Rotten scalawag!"

 **Gabby:** "You said it!"

 **Emmy:** "Give 'im da mark of shame, Leo."

Dillinger nods "yes" so hard that his motion is audible.

 **Bonnie:** "He's more than deseoived it!"

 **Leo:** "Yes. Indeed he has...But I'm going against the codes of wolf society just this once."

 **All other wolves:** "WHAT?!"

 **Leo:** "He's more useful to us while still bein' a part of wolf society and our pack."

 **Kale:** "Whatever you's want me ta do, I don't want any part of it!"

 **Leo:** "I just omitted givin' you's the mark of shame, Kale. You _will_ repay my gratitude, whether you want to or not."

Leo nods at Gabby on his left and Emmy on his right who walk up to Kale and pin him against a tree. Luciano and Bugsy feel nervous as they know what's about to happen: an interrogation.

 **Leo:** "First question, are our shrew paisanos really dead?"

Gabby and Emmy bite the wounds on Kale's foreleg and shoulder respectively, making him groan in pain.

 **Kale:** "N-no. Da prey animal family has taken 'em captive, along with our oth'a paisanos."

 **Leo:** "Where are our paisanos?"

 **Kale:** "Far way from here. I don't know where exactly."

Kale screams when Gabby's and Emmy's grip tightens to the point where it feels like their teeth are hitting his bones."

 **Kale** (voice strained form pain) **:** "I swear! I forgot to ask 'em—Errrrragh!—today when I met with 'em!"

Leo motions at Dillinger who walks up and bites Kale in the chest.

 **Kale** (screaming) **:** "I'm tellin' the truuuuuu-uuuuuuth!"

 **Luciano:** "Stop it, Leo!"

Leo ignores Luciano and instead walks up to Kale and looks him in the eyes. A few more excruciating moments later, and Leo says, "He's right."

Kale pants when the three wolves let go of him.

 **Leo:** "So what did you's discuss with 'em today when you met?"

 **Bugsy:** "Don't ya's think we should at least let 'im recover a bit before askin' him again?"

 **Leo:** "If he doesn't lie, the torture won't be necessary. And the next time you and ya's brother try to distract me ta help you's traitor-of-a-brother," (points to Kale) "I'll make _you's_ the ones who torture him! I know he'll _really_ be bothered when his own 'hermanos' do it to him."

Luciano and Bugsy widen their eyes and are immediately submissive.

 **Leo:** "Dat gives me an idea..." (To Kale) If you's lie again, I'll have ya's bros torture ya. And if I think dey's not hittin' ya hard enough, then all of us will hit you's properly! So for your sake," (motions his head over to Bugsy and Luciano) "and for _their_ sake, I advise ya's to be cooperative...So, what did you's and dem talk about today, Track."

 **Kale:** "I found out dey captured our paisanos, so we wouldn't have none of our allies ta help us out..."

 **Leo:** "With what?"

Kale sighs and says, "Dey've been training da prey animals in Area 7 how ta fight against our pack ta win back dare home from us."

 **Leo:** "So they's part'a da resisatnce, eh?"

 **Kale:** "Yes...Well, more like leadin' it now."

 **Leo** (while patting Kale on the head like a pet) **:** "Good boy, Track. Did they mention anything about their strategy or battle plan?"

 **Kale:** "No, I didn't ask."

Before Emmy, Gabby, and Dillinger can move a centimeter to bite him again, Kale continues, "Because if I did, I would have ta tell you's inna interrogation."

 **Leo:** "You's really _are_ smarter dan ya's look, Track. But you's also a bigger traitor dan I thought. Still...is there anything else you's talked about?"

The three wolves, angry at Kale upon hearing their godfather's words, bite him again without being ordered.

 **Kale:** "Aaggghh! I-I...told 'em...about all'uv you's..."

Gabby, Emmy, and Dillinger abruptly let go and join the pack in going "Huh?"

 **Kale:** "About how formidable you's are, how you's like to fight, your unique talents, and all da tricks you's use. So when you's fight 'em, dey'll be expectin' you's every move..."

 **Leo** (runs up and puts a paw around Kale's throat) **:** "You WHAT?!"

Even Bugsy and Luciano look angry, making Kale despair even more.

 **Capone:** "What're ya waitin' for? Give 'im the mark of shame, Leo!"

 **Leo:** "Easy, Capone. Dis is only a minor setback. But I know how ta offset it." (Lets go of Kale but leans forward into his face) "Tell us about _dem_ , Track..."

Kale's eyes widen in fear while everyone else's eyes widen in awe of Leo's ingenious idea.

 **Leo:** "...How formidable _they_ are, how _they_ like to fight, _their_ unique talents, and all da tricks _they_ use."

 **Kale:** "I-I..."

The bites he receives from Gabby, Emmy, and Dillinger make him comply.

 **Kale:** "Ah! Alright!"

The three wolves let go and listen closely.

 **Kale:** "Their leader, RJ the raccoon, has a golf bag with everythin' he needs in it. He's the brains of the family, and has got the know-how. He likes ta use his golf club as a bat or use it ta hit projectiles at things. He's fast, courageous, and but can make complicated decisions really quickly. One of you's saw dat he has a gun, but he'll only use that as a last resort.

"His son, Bernard, dee opossacoon is dee exact opposite: he's timid, cowardly, plays possum at everything, and is afraid of heights. But he's still part raccoon, so he can be crafty, and he's been workin' on overcoming his fears for some time now.

"His sister, Mary, is just like her dad. She's very smart, mischievous, and sneaky; so don't underestimate 'er. She has a pouch like her mommy and can carry things in it that she uses for offense or defense. And I think RJ's little sister, Rebecca, has been teachin' her gymnastics.

"Rebecca is da one you should watch out for the most. She likes ta flip around all over da place like a circus star, and she will use those gymnastics ta fight us, just like she did Vanesa. She's very strong too, able to spin around small trees while going _upward_.

"RJ's opossum mate, Heather, doesn't play dead as often as most possums, her first reaction ta trouble is to face it head-on. She likes workin' out a lot, so she'll be pretty strong too. Her pouch is like RJ's golf bag, only smaller, so expect her to carry some secret weapons not within eyesight at first.

"Her dad, Ozzie, is quite the drama king, always playin' possum for the littlest of things. He's a cunning strategist too, and likes to lead you on while deceivin' ya's. His kinda old, so he'll be the slowest and weakest of the bunch.

"RJ's and Rebecca's parents, Rogan and Sarah, have the most experience with fighting wolves. They spent 14 years of their lives runnin' from and fightin' against the Silver Fang and Wrong-Way Wolf Packs. They may be old, but unlike Ozzie they're still strong, fast, and very smart.

"The other leader of the family is the turtle, Verne. He's also like the opposite of RJ: meek, cowardly, and an over-thinker. But what he lacks in brains and guts he makes up for in his devotion to the family. When push comes to shove, he'll do anything ta keep dem safe. And his turtle shell is strong enough ta withstand a bite from any of us. And da mammals will most likely use it, or his family's shells, as a weapon.

"Verne's mate, Velma is a lot like him, only she has a little bit of a wild side. She'll take more risks dan him when it comes ta fightin'. But dare nephew, Plushie is the fasted, most energetic turtle you's ever seen. He's a thrill-seeker who can roll down hills and jump around. _He's_ the reptile you should watch out for, not his guardians.

"Hammy is the squirrel whose super-fast speed makes him da biggest threat. He's very gullible and dumb though, and just does things without thinkin' 'em through."

 **Luciano:** "So if we pay attention to 'im, we should be able ta use dat stupidity against him. Go on, Kale."

 **Kale:** "Stella the skunk is quick to anger and won't hesitate ta use 'er stink on you's. She's also a strong fighter and has a good throwin' arm with a frisbee. Her cat mate, Tiger, has his species' famous reflexes and can climb up trees quickly in spite of bein' fat. He has a code of honor from his home country which makes him the mentally strongest of the group, but he lacks combat experience. Their daughter, the skunat De'Ausha, is more like her mother both physically and mentally, but she still has her father's reflexes and climbin' ability. She's strong and fast, as her victories in playin' sports has indicated.

"Den there's the porcupine families. Lou and Penny are both strong, but are gettin' on in years. Dey still have sharp wits, though, not ta mention quills. Their sons, Bucky, Quillo, and Spike are pretty energetic, and years of playin' video games has honed their eyes and ears. The same goes for dare girlfriends, Emily, Rachel, and Emma. Dare mother, Annette, is just like Lou and Penny, but can also be deceptive like Ozzie.

"Dee other raccoon family is made up of Rick, his mate Luby, and dare twin sons Roger and Tyler. Rick and Luby are just as smart and crafty as RJ. They're fast, strong, and like all coons, can use their special _feel_ sense ta 'feel' things without touching 'em."

Kale pauses at the sight of his pack as they collectively crane their heads lopsidedly in confusion.

 **Kale:** "Yeah, I know, but I it can't be used for fightin'. As for Roger and Tyler, they're some of the naughtiest kids I've ev'a seen. They've got really short tempers and often relied on dare parents to make 'em refocus. But they've been gettin' better at workin' together, so don't count on them ta break out into a fight between each oth'a while battling us.

"And last but not least, dare's Simon the fruit bat, his mate Celine, and their daughters Marilyn, Christine, and Claire. They're all blind, as you'd expect, and have a knack for runnin' inta tress because of dis, but dey can smell and hear very well. They're good at hit-and-run attacks, too. Still, dare not the brightest, and'll be the easiest ta kill if they aren't in dee air.

"I told you's da truth. I swear it!"

Leo leans back into Kale's face, narrowing his eyes, then pulls back quickly.

 **Leo:** "We believe you's, Track. Howl if you's agree."

Every wolf howls, which makes Kale feel relieved that he won't receive any more torture (so long as he cooperates), but also fearful for the hedgies whom he just told their secrets.

 **Leo:** "Our previous observations of you's caretakers also match what you's've said, Track. And I'm certain we'll all be smart enough ta think on our toes when fightin' da ones we's havne't seen in action...Now Track, is it safe ta assume dat if all the prey animal family members died, the rest of dee animals in deese woods would be without effective leadership, and therefore fall swiftly?"

 **Kale:** "I, uh, haven't seen 'em train oth'as, so I don't know if the rest of da forest critters will be a turkey shoot."

 **Leo:** "How long do ya think dey've been trainin' 'em?"

 **Kale:** "Uh, whenev'a our paisanos went missin'. So about five days."

 **Capone:** "Dat's not enough for 'em all ta be experts with makeshift weapons. And since we've been noticin' how most prey animals have been where they're supposed ta be, dat means dey've only been trainin' a few at a time. I say we attack 'em as soon as possible."

 **Leo** (nods at Capone) **:** "I agree." (To Kale) "So Track, you's're gonna lead us to 'em. Tonight. _Now_. And we'll end dis resistance ta our domination of dis territory once and for all. We're gonna wipe out dat family of freaks and all other prey animals dat stand in our way, and get it right dis time. If ya refuse at any moment, or lead us da wrong way, den we'll break _all four_ of ya's legs, carry you's on one of our backs, and torture you's all da way until you give dee correct location. Do I make myself clear?"

 **Kale:** "...Yes..."

 **Leo:** "Then lead da way…"

Kale stumbles forward when he walks, still weak from the beatings he has received.

 **Bugsy:** "Maybe we should find 'im some Tylenol and an energy drink first...He won't be helpful ta us in da current state he's in."

 **Leo** (sighs) **:** "Fine...Let's go." (While eyeing Kale) "But only because we need him ta fight alongside us; ta prove he's loyal not only ta his pack, but to his species as a wolf."

Although Kale nods weakly and looks on the verge of passing out, his eyes were fully attentive as Leo eyed him, indicating that the teenager fully understands the seriousness of his godfather's words. He lets his brothers put him on his back, and the wolves head off into the suburbs to raid.

But none of the wolves noticed some nearby vampire bats who overheard their conversations. The flying rodents wait until the wolves have disappeared, and then fly off in the direction of the hedgies.

* * *

And hour later, Kale feels as good as new, and can track down the hedgies' scents without needing to be carried. He is doing so willingly because after the beating he has suffered, which was far worse than his initiation beat down, he doesn't want to go through something like that ever again. He doesn't even have time to feel worried for his friends or to ponder if he will actually fight against them because, with his pack watching him closely, any look of concern would be attributed to him wanting to do something to help his former caretakers.

Another sniff and he can tell he is close now, no more than three minutes away. Under regular circumstances, the other wolves should be feeling the pre-battle excitement that comes before any engagement. However, their trip through the forest ever since Kale took the pain medication and energy drink has been most odd. One might even say disturbing.

There have been no other prey animals in any direction the wolves have been traveling, none at all. Not even nocturnal insects have been making their noises. So as cliché as it sounds: it's quiet, too quiet. But none of the wolves let their unease show because they are too strong for that. Not to mention that, aside from Kale, the others actually can't wait to fight the hedgies. Stories from observers and Kale's recent explanation has painted the picture of some very formidable opponents. To defeat them and an army of prey animals composed of an entire forest would really raise the pack's already high standing in wolf society to the point where the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack would be considered Gods in wolf society. Perhaps they will be considered the best wolf pack in the planet's history! Even a defeat would make the pack raise its standing a little because of how well they will do against impossible odds. But it would still carry the taint of disgrace, and no one plans on letting that happen. The wolves are just here to win, like they always do.

Another turn and after going down a steep hillside, and the landscape becomes a flat grass/leaf/dirt surface with a tree line on the left and right. They go forward for five minutes and then, the sight of what is laying 50 feet in front of them even makes Leo feel the smallest hint of nervousness.

All 33 hedgies are standing out in the open, holding ranged or close-quarters weapons—and with what looks like the entire non-wolf forest animal population behind them. It's quite the sight for the eyes to behold. They're seriously in summer-blockbuster-battle-scene territory here. Capone had predicted that only a handful of animals would be ready to fight the wolves head-on, so he's either wrong or...An idea suddenly forms in his head and he quickly whispers something to Leo, who nods and smiles. Leo then makes his way in front of Kale and takes a deep breath to project his prestigious voice.

 **Leo:** "Well, well, well. Isn't _dis_ somethin'? You's all look so _cute_ with ya's lil' bitty weapons. But I'm Bone-Chomper Leo, godfather of the strongest, smartest, and bravest wolf pack in all America, so I can see through ya's charade. My pack's been noticin' how things haven't been too outta dee ordinary with the prey animals bein' where dare supposed ta be. Meanin' only a small amount of you's have been properly trained, whereas da rest of ya's are there" (Points to the prey animals) "just for intimidation."

 **Emmy:** "Sorry, but, we're not intimidated."

 **RJ:** "Oh no?"

He sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles. Then, the tree tops and even trunks seem to come alive as countless prey animals with the ability to climb come out from camouflaged clothes that have been cut to fit around their small bodies. Each tree branch is shoulder-to-shoulder full of animals ready to throw stones.

 **RJ:** "How about now?"

 **Leo** (matter-of-factly) **:** "Nope. Still not afraid."

 **Bernard:** "Well, neither are we!"

 **B.T.K.:** "Says the ki-yid who faints at the phone images of predators."

Bernard's eyes widen and the adult hedgies' eyes narrow as they comprehend what that bit of information means. Kale sighs at their gazes, but doesn't show any guilt, even though he feel it deep inside.

 **Leo** (to the hedgies) **:** "I will admit it, you's're brave for appearin' out in dee open, ready to lead da charge, but it only simplifies things for us."

 **Nelson:** " 'Cuz it means we's don't have ta fight through no waves of cannon fodder ta get to ya's!"

 **Leo:** "Oh, how ya's rebellion will fail so easily when the leaders are the first ta fall."

 **Rick:** "Not even the best wolf pack in America can defeat an _entire_ _forest_ of animals."

 **Leo:** "I assure you's we can. But let's avoid a massacre and settle dis the old-fashioned way. One of us against one of you's. Whoever wins, dat'll be the decider."

Everyone looks at Leo in total shock, his pack more than the prey animals. No one had been expecting this, but those who know him well, know that Leo has something up his nonexistent sleeves.

 **Leo:** "Can't ask for anythin' better than that; the loss of one life over several in a fight to the death."

The hedgies look back at the animals behind them. What Leo said is true, most had not been trained to fight like the hedgies. Many have the look of determination in their eyes, but that's because of their naïve confidence that will always shatter the moment their inexperience costs them. Moreover, most of the prey animals had only just gotten ready shortly before the wolves had arrived. When the hedgies got word from a family of vampire bats that the Bone-Chompers were on their way to battle, they actually were very worried. It was too soon for the animals of Area 7 to fight, but the family also couldn't let such an opportunity escape them, so they rallied their troops anyway.

Now, they have the chance to reduce casualties and win in a matter of 10 minutes or less. They can't pass that chance up either.

A prey animal from above shouts, "Phooey to that! Let's just take 'em!"

Before anymore could yell in agreement, Verne shouts, "No! We accept your offer Leo! Whoever loses will do whatever the victor commands, no matter what the command is."

 **Leo:** "Good. So who's ya's best fighter?"

 **RJ:** "Easy, I am." (Points to himself using his thumb)

 **Leo:** "Figures. Your opponent, from my side is..."

It's as if the prey animals and wolves can feel the drum roll as Leo intentionally pauses, waiting for the right time for the reveal.

 **Leo:** "Kale."

The drum roll would be clopping apart as if the drummer lost grip on his sticks, and the crowd of predators and prey react like it.

 **Kale:** "ME!?"

 **Leo** (to Kale) **:** "Dis is your chance ta prove ya's loyalty to us, and ya species. Go and fight 'im. To the death." (To the other animals) "If anyone violates dee agreement, we'll have anoth'a massacre on our paws tonight." (Looking at RJ) "And don't neither of you's keep me waitin'!"

RJ looks at his family who gives him fearful looks. They are afraid not for RJ, but for Kale. No matter what happens, it's a lose-lose for both parties. If Kale kills RJ, he will doom the forest to his pack's rein of terror, and forever lose his friendship with the hedgies. If Kale loses, RJ will suffer the guilt for killing one of the best kids he's ever known, and he'll go back down that dark path he thought he left behind forever when he left Vincent.

When neither has still stepped forward, Leo says, "You's got till the count of three! One...T—"

The adult raccoon and teenage wolf go forward, intending to meet halfway in the 50 foot gap between the prey animals and wolves. They're almost there when Leo spices things up yet again.

 **Leo:** "Since Kale doesn't have any weapon, how's about you make it a fair and honorable duel, coon, by gettin' rid'a dat golf club of yours?"

Now the hedgies feel afraid for RJ, and try to talk things over.

 **Verne:** "Now hold on—"

 **Ozzie:** "No, it's fair. Let them do it before we give those wolves another chance to change the rules."

Verne begrudgingly nods, which makes RJ drop his golf club. When he and Kale are in the space they intended to fight, each looks at the other in worry. Neither wants to fight, but each is bound by forces that they fully comprehend.

 **RJ:** "Uh, good luck, Kale."

K **ale:** "Y-you too, RJ."

Just when each gets into an attack stance, Leo's voice pierces the silence again.

 **Leo:** "Hold it! Look around...Look at all deese tree-critters who could cheat by throwin' stuff at Kale at any moment durin' the duel. Somethin' has ta be done about dis. After all, dee odds must be even. So the dueling ground will be a circle—formed by my pack."

Many animals Boo and shout negative phrases such as "Bogus!", "Not fair!", _You're_ cheating now!", and "No way, Josè!"

 **Leo:** "I am Leo, Godfather of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. I'm da most devout follower of the codes of wolf society dat ever existed. My fellow pack members and I are bound by those codes ta not intervene at any cost. But if it makes you's feel betta, we'll form their circle with our tails facing those two, meanin' they'd see us turning around to interfere if we chose to do so. But I give you my word dat my pack won't interfere."

 **Animal:** "You're a wolf! You're just lying!"

 **Kale:** "No! He isn't lying. You betta believe 'im, dat Nazi is the best follower of the codes of wolf society."

 **Animal:** "What's a 'Nazi'?"

 **RJ:** "The point is, these wolves won't interfere. If they do, then they're the ones who will violate the agreement which'll warrant our battle."

 **Leo:** "Well, lookit what we have here. I knew you's was smart, but dare's some serious wheels spinning in dat head'a yours ta make dat connection...He's right, folks. Now let's get to it!"

There is nothing more that can be said. Everything is clear as crystal to everyone. RJ and Kale wait for the Bone-Chompers to circle around them, the wolves's tails are five feet away from the adult raccoon and teen canine.

Once the pack has fully turned and can no longer see the two, RJ and Kale look at each other in the eyes, each has a twinkle in them. They blink once—something universally accepted as saying "Yes"—and then start their fight.

Kale dashes forward with his teeth and RJ jumps up high. He goes over Kale's head, grabs onto his fur at the neck, and reorients himself so that he is now riding on top of the wolf, the latter keeps charging forward to attack Leo—

—Who lunges to the side as if he has eyes in the back of his head, grabs RJ in his mouth, and hits Kale hard in the ankle with his paw. His hit cuts deep enough into Kale to where the teen trips and falls when he puts weight on the limb. As for RJ, he gets his taste of the pain that Rick had suffered years ago when a Doberman pincher dog had bitten Luby's mate during a heist. It doesn't last as long, though, because Leo quickly lets go of RJ and throws the raccoon to the side. RJ lands 10 feet in front of the wolves, which is 15 feet away from his family who is screaming in horror.

Leo runs up to Kale and bites him hard in the scruff of the neck, then slams his godson's face hard into the ground repeatedly. When he's done, he lets go and casually walks around Kale so that he's facing the teenager.

 **Leo:** "I knew you'd try to turn on me if I made you fight the leader raccoon. I knew you were weak. That you were soft. That you wouldn't be strong enough to be a real wolf. But I have better things to do now, so I'll punish you later."

In the gap it takes for Leo to take a deep breath in preparation to project his voice, Kale realizes just how badly he's goofed things up this time—because Leo used proper grammar while speaking to him.

 **Leo** (loudly so all the prey animals can hear) **:** "You's all saw it! Those dishonorable _shrimps_ tried ta attack me! Dee agreement is null and void!" (To his pack) "ATTAAAAAAAACK!"

The Bone-Chompers run past Kale—Gabby giving him a quick kick to the gut while doing so, and Bugsy and Luciano pause only long enough shake their heads in disdain for Kale betraying the pack—and aim for RJ who has just been brought behind Verne by Lou and Rick. The wolves' speed enables them to dodge the stones thrown at them from the tree tops, and know that once they close the distance to the hedgies, the animals in the trees will stop lest they risk friendly fire.

Loving her brother more than herself, Rebecca leaps out in front and starts doing several backhand springs as she heads to face the wolves, who grin internally as they recall what Track had told them about this raccoon; how much she likes to jump up and flip. Remembering how Rebecca can best one but not two simultaneous predator attacks, Bonnie and Clyde pair up and go for her while the other wolves attack other animals.

When Rebecca makes her move, Bonnie and Clyde bite upward. They hit nothing but air, because Rebecca—who remembers Kale's words about Bonnie and Clyde's appearance and how they like to attack as a duo—does a baseball-slide underneath them, and uses a taser on the two wolves' completely vulnerable bellies. The powerful electric attack causes Bonnie and Clyde to spas out, but their minds are still working properly. They can't believe what just happened. It's as if Rebecca knew that they knew about what Track had told them about her.

Still sliding, Rebecca then fires the taser prongs at Billy the Kid who gets hit in the chest. But rather than feel the pain, he is able to shrug it off long enough to reach the taser and crush it with his teeth, causing the device to stop shocking him. Rebecca's eyes widen at such a tremendous feat, but she quickly retreats to the right, which is clear because the other wolves in the pack are already past her and engaging other animals.

She doesn't know it, but the reason for B.T.K.'s strength was the rage he felt at the impossible happening to him: he failed to kill the animal he intended to kill.

 **B.T.K. thinking:** " _I never_ not _kill any critter. She'll pay dearly for di-yis insult!_ "

But that will have to wait, because he sees her go up in a tree where he can't reach her. So he does the next best thing and goes after Ozzie who is wielding a foot-long wooden baseball bat. Seeing the particular wolf that is coming for him, Ozzie retreats, making his way over toward another tree from which to climb. B.T.K. knows the possum won't get there in time due to the elder mammal's old age and weaker physique...And something tells the wolf that the possum knows that too.

Remembering about how deceptive this possum can be, and suddenly fearing a trap, B.T.K. slows down to a stop and looks at the ground where he sees several loose patches of dirt. He presses down on one and discovers it's a gopher-dug hole meant to trip him. The wolf simply watches his footing and works his way around so that now he is between two trees, and Ozzie is in front of him.

 **B.T.K.** (grins smugly) **:** "That tri-ick don't work twice!"

 **Ozzie:** "How about this?!"

Ozzie throws the baseball bat, the thing spinning vertically, but B.T.K. easily dodges.

 **B.T.K.:** "Yerr a ba-yad shot, possum."

 **Ozzie** (grins) **:** "I wasn't aiming for you."

B.T.K. gasps and he turns his head to the sound of the bat hitting something metal with a _Clank!_ The wolf sees a lever being hit, a lever attached to a pulley with ropes being pulled upward. Following the ropes on the ground, he looks down and sees that his hind legs are standing in the loops of two ropes. Then, he is hoisted into the air, the ropes being pulled by 100 pound weights. As he hangs 10 feet up, the animals in the trees waste no time in pummeling him with stones.

Demonstrating his resilience, B.T.K. lifts up his upper body, grabs one rope with his forepaws, bites through the other with his teeth, then bites the first one, freeing himself. He lands on his back with a groan, and then widens his eyes when the upside down image of Ladarius waiting for him with his tail raised fills his vision.

 **B.T.K. thinking:** " _Son of a stinkpot!_ "

Ladarius hits the wolf in the eyes, causing B.T.K. to scream. And this time, there aren't any nearby tomatoes for one of B.T.K.'s allies to use on him, so he is utterly helpless. Still, his rage is stronger than ever, and he bears the pain in his eyes and swats his claws and bites his jaws in all directions, hoping to hit Ladarius or any other prey animals that tries to attack him.

 **B.T.K.:** "Agh! Where are yew, ya stinkin' skunk! Come out n' fight me! I'll kill ya!"

Completely vulnerable, the animals in the trees have no trouble hitting him with stones until enough hits to the head knock him unconscious.

* * *

Ever since passing Kale, Leo orders Gabby, Emmy, and Nelson to stick with him as they attempt to break through the hedgies, who are taking defensive stances, in order to finish off RJ. To do that would serve as debilitating heartache, which would lessen the hedgies' effectiveness because as the codes of wolf society say, the cunning warrior attacks the heart first, not the body or mind.

To prevent this, Hammy, Roger, Ty, Mary, Bernard, De'Ausha, and Plushie are throwing baseballs, stones, and boomerangs at wolves, who separate and start to encircle the family.

Normally such a move would cause the hedgies to start retreating, but they hold their ground, which makes Emmy suspicious. If that's not enough, Rogan and Sarah then step in front, the former wielding his son's golf club and the latter wielding a discarded lemonade stand sign post.

 **Rogan:** "You want our son!"

 **Sarah:** "Then you'll have to come through us!"

There is no more question, Emmy knows their game.

 **Emmy:** "They're baiting us! Proceed carefully!"

She and her comrades slow down and look at the ground around the hedgies where they notice shedded porcupine quills sticking out ever so slightly. The wolves proceed onward while watching their footing, but this comes at the cost of not being able to dodge the projectiles being thrown at them by Hammy and the kids. Still, the young hedgies and Hammy are smaller and not as strong, so they don't pack much of a punch.

Noticing this, Heather says, "Fall back!" and lets her kids climb on her back, while the parents of the other animals collect their children and obey her order. The four wolves have cleared the quill trap and can now run at full speed again. The rest of the hedgies scatter, which gives the Bone-Chompers a clear view of RJ being placed on a baby doll crib that is being pulled up into the trees by the vines attached to it, bringing him to safety.

 **Leo thinking:** " _Oh well, it still won't change dee outcome of dis fight._ "

But when he redirects his attention to what's directly in front of him, he realizes it'll be harder to achieve victory than he initially thought. The hedgies had not been retreating, they were regrouping and are leading a charge an entire army of prey animals at their backs.

 **Leo** (loud enough to be heard by all the Bone-Chompers) **:** "Everyone scatter! Make for the trees!"

The other wolves understand what Leo is planning. By taking the fight deep into the woods, instead of in the open ground, the wolves will have more places to hide and ambush the prey animals, guerrilla warfare style.

 **Luciano:** "What about Billy? He's been skunk-blinded!"

 **Leo:** "He knew da risks. Leave 'im."

No one objects, and they continue to head to either the left or right of the approaching army. When the canines are almost at the tree lines, countless porcupines emerge from behind the tree trunks and have their quills facing toward them. Many of the wolves silently commend the hedgies' tactics of taking steps to ensure the fight happens in the open where the army and tree-dwellers have the advantage. But the Bone-Chompers know how to fight against porcupines, so they don't slow down. In fact, they speed up because they plan to jump over the wall of prickly rodents.

The wolves are nearing the place they intend to jump. That's when Capone recalls what Kale had said about the teenage porcupines.

 **Capone** (shouts) **:** "Keep ya's eyes open for—"

 **Spike's voice:** "Yahooo!"

His remark is followed by several others as many teenage porcupines drop down from the tree tops using bungee cords like Spike's parents had done during a heist the first week of spring when RJ had come into the family.

Thanks to Capone's warning, he, Leo, Dillinger, Gabby, and Emmy stop in time and do not jump forward. Bonnie, Clyde, Nelson, Luciano, and Bugsy aren't as lucky, and get their backs hit with porcupine quills as they jump forward. The sharp pain makes them lose concentration and they tumble when they land.

As for the wolves who didn't jump, they dig near the porcupines sitting in front of them, reach into the hole, and flip said porcupines over. They then grab the bungee cords that Bucky, Quillo, Rachel, Emily, and Emma are attached to, bite it, and then throw the porcupine teens against nearby trees. They land on their backs, groaning.

Then, noticing the wolves are coming after them, they remember what Kale had said about their species' "design flaw" and quickly roll over so their un-quilled bellies aren't exposed for attack. This catches Leo, Emmy, Dillinger, Capone, and Bonnie off guard, as the wolves are too much into their bite or claw slash attacks to pull away in time. The canines reel back to scream, but retreat before the line of porcupines can get close enough to hit them with their tails.

The Bone-Chompers yank the quills out, and just when they get ready to jump forward, which admittedly risks getting hit by a porcupine on a bungee cord, the prey animal army gets in range starts attacking.

 **Leo:** "Don't let 'em surround us!"

It's easier said than done, because teeth, claws, and blunt objects of all shapes and sizes assail the wolves who are quickly overpowered to do anything. Well, anything unaided.

The mob of animals are too busy yelling and concentrating on hitting a wolf that most don't hear the loud snarl that comes from the wolves who had made it to the tree line, and who now rejoin their pack in their hour of need. Luciano, Bugsy, Clyde, Bonnie, and Nelson each knock back 10 animals, then break through their line and start biting and clawing anything in their way while running forward like fur-covered juggernauts. This gives Leo, Emmy, Capone, Dillinger, and Gabby the time to get to their feet, find whatever animals they want to attack, and go for them.

In particular, Dillinger and Gabby see Rick wielding a pocket knife and head for him. Wanting to prevent the assistance of any other wolves, some of the porcupines form a circle around those two and the raccoon, just as the Bone-Chompers had done to RJ and Kale. The two Bone-Chompers like this, because now it's two against one. Gabby comes forward two more steps and raises **(1)** her paw, ready to slash.

Dillinger hums "Mmmmm!" in an uh-uh-uhhh tone, stopping **(1)** her. He remembers how this raccoon is just as clever as RJ, and shouldn't be taken lightly. As if to prove this, Rick moves to interpose himself between the wolves and his own line of retreat **(1)**.

 **Rick:** "I hope you two think this is a good day to **(1)** lose."

The Gabby moves with the casual grace of a predator **(1)**. She takes one step toward Rick's left, clearly as the first part of a gambit to make Rick circle around and present his back to the **(1)** Black Wolf Ghost. Recalling how deception is Gabby's special talent, Rick counters by **(1)** throwing his blade toward the younger wolf's **(1)** face. The blade's tip **(1)** slices through **(1)** Gabby's left muzzle and grazes her eye.

The wolf jerks back and **(1)** screams, whereby she runs into one of the porcupines. Quills now line her left side, and she suffers more pain when swatting at the porcupine to knock him over. She quickly slips through the gap before the circle of quilled rodents seals itself again, still alive, but needing immediate help if she wants to stay that way.

She yells "PAPAAAAAAAAAAA!" like the whiny brat she is, and that's when Dillinger loses track of her and refocuses on Rick who pulls out a steak knife from a sling around his back.

 **Rick** (nods to Dillinger) **:** "She was too eager **(1)**. I knew I could use that trick once, and only with her." **(1)**

The Black Wolf Ghost nods in agreement, and then moves **(1)** forward with a fluid gait that is not hurried **(1)**. Red, hungry eyes watch Rick and seem to take note of the fluid dripping from his left wrist when the **(1)** raccoon had been nicked by one of the charging wolves that rejoined the fight from the tree line.

They wait. **(1)**

Rick suspects he will not be the one **(1)** to die first. Images of his mate and children surface in his brain **(1)**. He makes himself remember them laughing and smiling **(1)**. He refuses to let images of them grieving to enter his mind **(1)**.

 **Rick thinking:** " _If I'm gonna be lost to them and they to me, I want good memories, not bad._ " **(1)**

He wonders if the wolf is thinking the same thing, and then Dillinger attacks **(1)**. He slashes low and to the right. Rick parries, then lunges with his blade **(1)**. The wolf slips to the right, trailing **(1)** crimson droplets from where the blade caught him over his right **(1)** foreleg, then he slashes back with his **(1)** left claws. The tip catches Rick on the right thigh, slicing through fur and flesh **(1)**. Rick whirls, shunting the pain aside, then darts in and slashes twice at the wolf's right flank **(1)**. Dillinger spins away from a cut at his neck **(1)**. The two combatants back off for a second, each eyeing the other. Each fighter nods to the other, out of respect **(1)**.

 **Rick thinking:** " _And out of fear, just a hint of it (1). Well, for me at least._ "

They set themselves **(1)**. The wolf again raises his **(1)** left forepaw above his head **(1)**. Rick lowers the tip of his blade, letting it point at one of the wolf's knees **(1)**. He draws in a deep breath, then shifts his shoulders while musing, " _This is it._ " **(1)**

Rick's war cry echoes within the **(1)** circle as each fighter sprints across the ground at his foe **(1)**. Rick ducks his head, letting the **(1)** clawed paw flash past over his right shoulder **(1)** as he goes low. His knife slips into the space between the wolf's hind knees, then the silver blade cuts joint at the wolf's right hip **(1)**. Rick is brought to his knees, the exertion he just used taking a toll on his wrist wound.

Dillinger lands hard on his **(1)** chest, but avoids smashing his head into the ground **(1)**. The Black Wolf Ghost reaches his left **(1)** hind paw beneath his **(1)** body and feels the torn **(1)** fur, the nasty **(1)** cut. The wolf gathers his left knee and tries to stand up, but the weight of his right knee pulls him off balance and crashes him down to the ground again **(1)**.

 **Rick thinking:** " _His leg is all but_ **(1)** _useless and he's still coming?_ " **(1)**

Rick drags himself over toward his knife and gets his right paw on it **(1)**. The wolf crawls toward Rick **(1)**. The raccoon slashes at him, but the wolf seems undaunted by Rick's weak attacks **(1)**.

 **Rick thinking:** " _He knows_ **(1)** _blood loss will get me._ " **(1)**

Rick already feels the numbness spreading up his **(1)** arm. It is becoming harder for him to breathe **(1)**. He slashes again and again at the wolf, but the **(1)** canine keeps coming, slowly, certainly waiting for Rick's arm to tire **(1)**.

 **Rick thinking:** " _And he won't have long to wait._ " **(1)**

Rick's breathing becomes labored **(1)**. His chest heaves with every effort **(1)**. He knows he is done and again calls to himself images of his family **(1)** , the whole family. Happy images **(1)**. Images that make him proud **(1)**. He sees them through various times and situations, flashing finally onto his most recent and strongest memories of them **(1)**.

The wolf has risen **(1)**. The predator stares down at him, his face all scrunched up **(1)** in rage, while gleaming white teeth **(1)** and crimson red eyes give Rick a nightmare image to carry with him into eternity **(1)**.

Then, a frenzied explosion of **(1)** gophers burst up through the ground **(1)**. Each of the toothy rodents sinks its teeth into **(1)** Dillinger's body, gnashing and piercing past the fur into his flesh.

If the wolf screamed—and Rick decides he never would have—the sounds of snarling **(1)** gophers fighting over his body drown it out completely **(1)**. When Dillinger is no longer moving, the rodents let go of him and return into the ground from whence they came, going off to help someone else with the battle.

Rick falls to the ground on his back, the blood loss finally catching up to him. He still has enough strength to give a smile at how his plan worked perfectly. Rick silently thanks Kale for telling him about how Dillinger isn't the best of fighters if the Black Wolf Ghost doesn't have stealth on his side, hence why fighting him in the open would be a better strategy. In doing so, Rick kept Dillinger busy long enough for the gophers to find their location and conduct a surprise attack from below, all while the porcupines appeased the wolf's code of honor by not interfering. Speaking of which, the porcupines pick him up and start taking him to where RJ had been lifted up.

 **Note: (1)=Based on _Star Wars: Dark Tide I: Onslaught_ by Michael A. Stackpole**

* * *

The plan of plowing through the prey animal army that Luciano, Bugsy, Clyde, Bonnie, and Nelson have been doing works well only as long as it remains a surprise. But once the tree-dwellers call out to the animals in front of those five wolves' path, the animals on the ground start getting out of the way and attack the canines' vulnerable sides. That makes the Bone-Chompers realize they need a new plan, but their very success at advancing through the enemy lines now puts them at a huge disadvantage. The prey animals now surround the five wolves, meaning the only way out is to break through a crowd of animals who are prepared for the canines. Furthermore, the wolves are far away from the rest of their pack who can't render any assistance.

Still, the five know that most of these prey animals haven't had enough training to cause too much trouble. Another thing that will work in the Bone-Chompers' favor is how each wolf is still next to each other and not cut off with attacking prey animals in between.

 **Luciano:** "Move together and we'll get through dis! Head to da left!"

The others nod and all start making their way through the prey animals, predator and prey returning each blow with another one. The wolves' hits are more lethal, but the prey animals' attacks, though weaker, are more numerous. That alone would be enough to overwhelm the five wolves, but then bats and birds of all kinds begin flying overhead and start dropping stones onto the canines like bomber planes. The bats miss more often than not, but succeed in forcing the Bone-Chompers below to divide their attention to the animals attacking them on the ground, and now those in the air.

That task instantly becomes overwhelming given the number of prey animals attacking the wolves. But Luciano, Bugsy, Bonnie, Clyde, and Nelson are still defiant and will fight to their last breath, but even they silently acknowledge that it is only a matter of time now before they are defeated.

Elsewhere, Leo has finished pulling out the quills from his daughter and tells her to retreat since she's too wounded to keep fighting. That leaves only Leo, Emmy, and Capone to try and battle the army of prey animals coming at them from the ground and air. Currently they are being harassed by Hammy and Simon's family with hit-and-run attacks, which serve as a good distraction for Rainer's family, Cassidy's family, Stella's family, and Ladarius's family to take turns hitting the wolves with their weapons or claws. It doesn't take long for those three wolves to come to the same conclusion as the other five.

 **Emmy:** "We can't keep dis up much longer, Leo!"

 **Capone:** "I know our pack's nev'a lost a battle, but if we don't run dare won't be no pack!"

The memory of the Rock-Buster battle's outcome flashes through Leo's head. The godfather of the Bone-Chomper Pack can't believe what's happening. He and his pack are getting their butts kicked by a bunch of prey animals. He knew the odds wouldn't be fair, but thought his pack's superior wits, strength, and experiences would offset that advantage and allow the wolves to win, especially with RJ out of commission and if they took out the hedgies first. Clearly he was mistaken, the hedgies and their allies were better prepared than he could have imagined; the wolves never even fought all of the hedgie because those animals were smart enough to work with their fellow forest brethren. And now his pack faces a shameful defeat.

Leo thinks of all that will happen if he orders a retreat. The pack will suffer more disgrace than they had when Kale's first hunt failed, will lose their high standing in wolf society in a way that they may never recover, will become the laughing stock of all predators elsewhere, and will be mocked by other wolves just as hard as they had mocked Kale all his life.

Leo doesn't want that to happen, but at the same time, he perfectly understands that it's better to be alive to experience all of that disgrace instead of dead.

Leo's voice is loud enough to be heard over the ocean-worth of commotion when he bellows something he thought he'd never have to say.

 **Leo:** "RETREAT! FALL BACK! GET OUR WOUNDED AND RETREAT!"

The prey animals don't let up until Verne's voice comes from a megaphone somewhere behind the frontline.

 **Verne's voice:** "Everyone, STOP! Let them gather their wounded."

The animals obey, but don't get out of their attack stances. They make sure to be ready to strike if the wolves try anything sneaky. Leo and Emmy carry the out-cold but still breathing Dillinger, while Capone and Clyde carry the incapacitated Billy the Kid. Having been headed-off by some prey animals, Gabby makes her way back to the pack and gets on the back of Clyde. Now that the Bone-Chompers have regrouped, Verne steps out in front of the prey animal army and continues speaking through the megaphone so everyone can hear him.

 **Verne:** "Bone-Chomper Leo, do you and your pack surrender to us?"

 **Leo:** "I said we's retreatin'. I didn't say nothin' about surrendering...But just so none of ya's chase after us, if you's want ya land back, then take it. It's yours again. We've got oth'a territories besides dis one that're satisfying enough for us."

No one cheers yet because it all seems too easy and sudden for the wolves to give up their Area 7 so easily without a vow of vengeance.

 **Verne:** "So you're leaving and never coming back."

 **Leo:** "Dat's correct. I hope we never see each oth'a again." (To his pack) "Now let's blow dis joint."

The other wolves nod and head back the way they came. The other animals still stare, befuddled by the wolf's words. They expected the wolves to fight to the bitter end and die like warriors, not cut their losses and run away. Not to mention that the canines' nonchalance of losing their Area 7 territory almost makes the victory hollow.

If that isn't strange enough, the creature who goads the prey to act "normally" takes the cake.

 **Gabby:** "What're you's waitin' for? Gloat about it already!"

The hedgies and their fellow prey animals look at each other and shrug, then erupt in celebration. Hugs and kisses are exchanged, fists are bumped, paws are shaken, high fours or fives are given, dances are boogied, and everyone's tonsils are visible from all the shouting. The tree-dwellers tear up leaves and shower them below like confetti, and weapons are tossed high into the air as the sweet taste of victory has finally kicked in to everyone's taste buds.

They won the battle! They beat the greatest wolf pack in America! They got their land back! They can live like the free animals they are! No more looking over their shoulders, no more food or water limitations, no more senseless deaths, no more slave labor, no more paisanos or wolf masters to obey, and no more living in constant fear!

The plan worked! The hedgies and the animals on the ground simply had to keep the wolves distracted long enough for the flying animals to come by and save the day. No amount of Capone's cunning, Bonnie's and Clyde's brute strength, Nelson's aggressiveness, Dillinger's stealth, Emmy's combat-perfect body, Gabby's vainness, Bugsy's sleaziness, Luciano's tenacity for inducing violence, B.T.K.'s one-shot-one-kill record, and Leo's embodiment of all those traits could succeed against the collective intelligence, strength, determination, and varied abilities of the multitude of prey animals and their hedgie leaders. Alone, no one could ever hope to succeed, but even the mightiest of creatures can fall when the smallest of creatures work together and fight for what they believe in and for who they love.

Speaking of which, there have been many casualties in the form of numerous injuries and deaths, but even that grim knowledge doesn't dampen anyone's joyous mood. The reason is because every prey animal knew that it would be unavoidable. But more importantly, they knew that what they were fighting and dying for was greater than anything they have done in their whole lives. They were fighting and dying for each other, as one giant family of prey animals who came together to secure the safety and freedom of every generation present here right now, and of all those to come. They were fighting and dying for their families, their friends, their dwellings, their livelihoods, their sense of self-worth, their sustenance; the very things that are necessary to live and to inspire them to keep on living.

That is something worth fighting and dying for.

Equally important is what they were fighting and dying against. They were fighting and dying against predators whose continued rule would be a fate far worse than death; it would be a living death. It's too horrifying to imagine living and raising children in a land full of fear and hopelessness, where no one can expect to live for a whole day, where no one can look to the sky in joyful anticipation of what the next day will bring, where all faith is gone, where no one can feel happiness, where no one can be thankful that they are alive when they wake up every morning.

That is something worth fighting and dying against.

There _will_ be a time to mourn properly, when the weight of lost loved ones will set in. But until then, the survivors (who vastly outnumber the deaths) celebrate for their own happiness and how those who died have contributed to the grander victory that will ensure these woods will never be occupied by wolves or their cronies ever again.

Each and every prey animal in this vast forest—the old and young, the tall and short, the weak and strong—risked everything they had, everything they cherish, and everything they believe in, which was, in and of itself, everything. They risked it all...and won. They actually won! And they take comfort in how the wolves were the first ones to accept this fact, were the first ones to cede their autocracy, and were the first ones to proclaim the vow to never return—all voluntarily. That leaves no one in the mood to pursue the Bone-Chompers in revenge here or hereafter, not even those who have lost loved ones.

After all, as Verne had told them once before, they aren't wolves. They don't need to decide who should live and who should die just because they feel like it, that's what wolves do. Instead, they take pride in being who they are, and in knowing that certain thoughts and actions should never be theirs.

The short and violent reign of the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack has come to an end. Long live the animals who are forever free and brave!

* * *

The Bone-Chompers ignore the sounds of celebration as they walk away. They have better things to do.

They would normally feel disappointment and humiliated with the loss of the most bountiful territory they ever had the privilege to control, something that made them above powerful forces to be reckoned with. But they have other things on their minds.

They would normally reminisce about the good memories they had while ruling their now-lost Area 7 and how recalling those times will only serve to make them feel sad. But they have a new mission to complete.

Or rather, a hunt to conduct...for the very one who is responsible for their loss.

Being true Bone-Chompers, each of the 11 wolves muse the same thing that gives them the motivation for this hunt: " _Start counting, Kale. We're coming for you._ "


	14. The Decision

**Chapter 14: The Decision**

Kale pants as he continues to run as fast as he can on three good feet. When the last wolf from his pack had passed him at the beginning of the great battle, Kale knew it wouldn't matter who won or who lost, he was dogmeat. His a priori betrayal of lying to his pack, and hiding and assisting the prey animals with information was enough to get him the "mark of shame." But with his outright betrayal of deliberately siding with his pack's enemies and trying to attack his godfather, he'd be better dying a slow and miserable death at an illegal animal testing lab than to suffer the punishment his pack will give him if they catch up. Even his brothers won't object, so there will be no one to stick up for him in his defense. Heck, Luciano and Bugsy will probably give him the mark of shame personally.

All that's left for Kale to do is to run far away, for as long as he can. The teenager sighs. He knows that will be impossible, but he has to try anyway. It's all he has left.

Now he knows what it's like to be an outcast in both worlds of predator and prey. As a wolf, prey would never want to associate with him under the fear that he'd kill them, and when he tried to befriend them, that friendship was achievable only because of lies. As a predator, his desire to be loved and have fun like a real teenager, and his below-average abilities that he just couldn't improve, starkly contrasted with how wolves should live their lives as stated in the codes of wolf society, as well as the basic laws of predators as endowed by Nature.

His parents would try to make other wolves accept him by arguing "Oh, our son Kale is just different from most wolves, and that's what makes 'im special. He's just a late bloomer, but will get betta given enough time and practice."

Others, like his pack, would be more honest. "Kale is a disgrace ta all wolves and predators everywhere. He can't do nothin' right, and won't get betta, only worse. His parents should'a killed him like all wolves do ta whelps with deformities."

He knows for a fact that his parents are ashamed, no _absolutely_ _appalled_ , by his actions tonight. Even Sniff-Tracker Eddie's and Sharnese's love wasn't unconditional. True, they showered him with unconditional love, but that's because Kale never betrayed his pack, family, and species by siding with prey animals. He really did make his parents roll over in their nonexistent graves, and they would disown him for sure if they were still alive.

And the worst thing is, Kale knows he deserves it.

But that's all the time he allows himself to think about that. Right now, he fully concentrates on finding scent-ridding spray which, while it won't save him from his pack's pursuit, will at least buy him some time...Maybe.

The sound of prey animals cheering in the distance doesn't even give him the faintest of hopes that each member of his pack was killed in the battle. If anything, it only serves to seal his fate. He _knows_ the Bone-Chompers, they're smart enough to cut their losses and run rather than being stubborn and getting themselves killed just to die with glory. His pack has too many other territories and too big of a reputation to throw it all away for just one large territory. And the best way for his pack to regain some of their tarnished reputation is to punish him. There will be no abandonment this time; they're out for blood, _his_ blood.

It would probably be better for Kale to kill himself and deny his pack the satisfaction of getting back at him, but he just isn't brave enough to do it. That's a lesser-known but most essential aspect about suicide, it takes courage to pull it off. But Kale was never a true fighter against other predators, and had relied either on his pack or cheating with a makeshift weapon to do the job, so he's too spineless to take any predator's life without help, even his own. If only he could find a nearby predator or human hunter who he could goad into killing him, but there are no other predators in this section of the forest, his pack killed them all, and humans are doing a good job obeying the no-trespassing law.

 **Kale thinking:** " _Why is it dat whenever I want a human around, dey's never around?_ "

When Kale smells the scents of his pack from one mile away and closing fast, that's when he decides it's no use anymore. Apparently, they are more eager to punish him than he imagined, which augmented their speed and determination to catch up with him. At the same time, the scents of his pack members also gives Kale the inspiration to do the most courageous thing possible in his current predicament: go toward them.

The source of his courage is a promise that he wants to keep, a promise he made to the hedgies—once again owing the most profound decisions he's made in his life to prey animals. He will finally tell his pack how he truly feels about being a wolf and living with them. He knows he's only shortening his life span to less than 30 minutes, but would rather spend one moment giving them a piece of his mind than running away and never dissing out his pack.

 **Kale thinking:** "I'm _da one who's gonna find satisfaction from the punishment._ I _will die happy, and make dee others feel terrible for da rest of dare lives._ "

It doesn't take long for Kale to see the silhouettes of his pack in the distance, and as expected, his brothers are leading them, not Leo.

 **Luciano:** "There he is!"

The wolves gun for him, and Kale does the same. The former are eager to beat him up and likely kill him, and the latter is eager to start ranting at them. His tantrum two weeks ago was only a bite-sized treat compared to the things Kale has been "cooking up" his entire life. He knows exactly what to say, who to say it to, and how to say it, all by heart.

Bugsy and Luciano get to Kale simultaneously, and also start beating him simultaneously.

 **Bugys:** "Eres un traidor—!"

 **Luciano:** "—Chupar escoria—!"

 **Bugsy:** "—Lamentable excusa—!"

 **Luciano and Bugsy in unison:** "—De un hermano!"

 **Note** **: Bugsy and Luciano collectively said, "You traitorous, scum-sucking, pitiful excuse of a brother!" in Spanish.**

 **Emmy** (joins in the beating) **:** "You chose prey animals ov'a ya's own pack!"

 **Gabby** (ditto) **:** "Ya's own family!"

 **Leo** (ditto) **:** "And ya's own species!"

 **Nelson** (ditto) **:** "You's a disgrace!"

 **Bonnie** (ditto) **:** "An abomination!"

 **Clyde** (ditto) **:** "An insult ta our pack!"

 **Capone** (ditto) **:** "Da weakest, most pathetic wolf in history!"

 **B.T.K.** (ditto) **:** "Yerr lower dan skunk droppin's!"

 **Dillinger** (ditto) **:** "Hate you!"

Although Kale's body is taking a huge beating and demands he lay down and pass out, his will to give his pack a lecture refuses to succumb. With a surge of strength, Kale grabs a nearby stone and hits each wolf across the face with it in one, swinging motion.

 **Kale:** "No more! _No_ _more!_ It's time I tell all'uv you's somethin' I've been wantin' ta say for a long time!"

Bugsy and Luciano can't believe what just happened, they thought that if they beat up their own brother it would break any spirit of resistance. But Kale just stood up to them all. However, this won't go unpunished.

Gabby runs forward, which causes Kale to swing the stone in his paw at her, leaving him wide open for Leo to come in from the side and bite his forepaw, causing him to drop the stone.

 **Leo:** "Restrain 'im!"

Dillinger, Nelson, Emmy, and Capone each grab a leg, hoist Kale up, pin him against a tree, and hold him there.

 **Leo:** "You lost ya's privilege ta speak! We shouldn't've left ya ta rot when you's broke ya's legs! We should'a killed you ourselves!"

 **Kale** (snarky) **:** "Too bad you's didn't, and now you's gotta live with ya's mistake. I know you's'll kill me, so I can say whatev'a I want and not worry 'bout livin' with regret!"

He spits blood into Leo's eyes, which infuriates the godfather. Leo starts walking up to Kale, then suddenly stops. He looks at Bugsy and Luciano and nods. The brothers nod back and proceed to beat Kale, hard. Just when Kale thinks they're finished, they claw his belly, getting through to the skin.

Although Bugsy and Luciano are fully committed to punishing Kale, they seriously think that their brother will die if Leo doesn't order them to stop soon—and they know that Leo is aware of this. Luciano and Bugsy are the ones who are disturbed right now, not Kale, because even if their little brother betrayed the pack, he's still their little brother. They don't want to kill him, they'd never forgive themselves if they did.

Fortunately, just when they think Leo won't order them to stop slashing Kale until after their brother is dead, Leo then holds his paw up, and the brothers stop.

Kale groans in pain and his vision is blurry, but it starts getting clearer when Leo begins walking up to him, and is back to normal when the godfather stops.

 **Leo** (grabs Kale by the throat) **:** "Do that again, and I'll have you neutered..."

Despite Kale's determination, even his face shows fear in reaction to Leo's threat. He nods, which causes Leo to let go of him and then step back to speak.

 **Leo:** "Unfortunately, we need an explanation from you's. Why'dja do it, Track? I was ya's daddy's best friend, I cried with you when he died, I took you's in when no one else did, I let ya be a part'a my pack without killin' a top predator first, forgave you for ya's first failed hunt, offered you's a chance at redemption, got my pack ta stop pickin' on ya, let ya's tantrum slide, and showered you's with praise when you started actin' like a real wolf durin' our occupation of Area 7...And this is how you repay me?! You betrayed our own species and family! For prey animals!"

 **Kale** (nods head at the pack) **:** "You call dis a family? What kinda family never loves me for who I am? What kinda family tries to shape me inta someone I'm not for their own selfish purposes? What kinda family relentlessly makes fun of me despite all I've done for ya's? What kinda family leaves one of their own for dead just because he failed a coming-of-age hunt? What kinda family sends spies to observe me because they don't trust my word? What kinda family sets impossible standards for me ta meet by makin' a deal without my say in things? What kinda family never gives me any true credit even when I get somethin' accomplished all for you? What kinda family makes me kill innocent kids, and scolds me for endin' their sufferin' sooner? What kinda family values the codes of wolf society more than wolves themselves?!

" _You's_ da ones who made me betray you's! All I ev'a wanted ta do in life is be a kid and be loved by my family! I didn't wanna be a stone-cold killer, nev'a wanted ta follow da codes of wolf society because they prevent me from bein' free like any animal should be! But not once have any of you's tried to sit down and talk ta me about how I felt!" (Looks and speaks harshly at Bugsy and Luciano) "Especially you's two!"

Most of the wolves, and particularly Bugsy and Luciano, exchanged surprised looks. The latter feel very guilty for not realizing the things their brother was feeling sooner, and the former can't believe Kale hasn't been satisfied with his life as a wolf. Leo, however, is unwavering.

 **Leo:** "Have you's ever seen ya's reflection in water? You're. A. Wolf! You _have_ ta do wolf things! You _have_ ta be superior ta prey and other predators, and ta show those two categories who's boss! You _have_ ta follow the codes of wolf society! It's in our genes, you can't fight ya's DNA!"

 **Kale:** "Why do we even gotta concern ourselves with genetics, when we're animals?! Dee other reason I betrayed ya's is because dat prey animal family gave me what I always wanted: true fun, love, and the freedom ta be who I wanna be! With them, I had the freedom ta follow my heart, 'stead of followin' the stupid codes of wolf society! They treated me betta than ma n' dad, even when I was a stuck-up jerk to 'em! The kind and caring treatment dey gave me was far betta dan my life as a slave with all'uv you's!"

 **Clyde:** "We really should'a killed ya dat night! You's've been brainwashed by dose weaklings!"

 **Kale:** "No, I chose ta believe in their ways of livin' over mine. You's all are da ones who've been brainwashed by the codes of wolf society!"

 **Leo:** "You's parents're lucky not to have lived long enough ta see you betray everything you, as a wolf, have been taught by them."

 **Kale:** "No, Leo. Dey'd be ashamed of _you_. At how you value the codes of wolf society more than anyone in the pack. There's no love here, only comradery, and dat's not enough ta run a pack. My parents were ahead of their time ta have realized wolf packs should be run by the love of family, and how no one should abandon, betray, or disown anyone no matter how much dey mess up."

Bugsy and Luciano smile at how Kale, in all his years of neglect and abuse, has always held the Sniff-Tracker motto in his heart. That makes them so proud of him, but the same can't be said for Leo.

 **Leo:** "That don't change the fact that you're da one who betrayed us tonight, and ya's parents too, because their motto said nothin' about sidin' with prey animals. All because you think I don't care about you's, which you know is a lie. I know you're not blind ta how generous I've been to you's. I could'a kicked you's outta the pack a long time ago for failin' ta meet our standards, I _should_ have kicked you's out a long time ago, but I didn't. I held onto you in keepin' the promise I made ta ya's parents, even when it would'a been betta to let you's go.

"But you've had ya's time ta explain ya's true feelings, now it's time ta get down ta business." (To the pack) "Gettin' ta where we are now, at being the best wolf pack in the U.S.A., has been hard enough, but maintainin' our high standing is a harder and never-ending process. Because of Kale, we have been utterly disgraced, we may not even be the best wolf pack in America anymore. But we can still recover from dis setback, with or without Track. Without would be easier, but with him would enable us ta use his nose ta our advantage. I know what most'a you's will say, which is why we're not puttin' it to a vote." (While slowly turning) "Instead, ta prove I'm not a heartless guy who only cares about the codes of wolf society, we're gonna let you decide ya fate, Kale."

Everyone gasps at Leo who is now looking at Kale straight in the eyes, but he speaks before anyone can form an opinion.

 **Leo:** "Since you love those prey animals more than us—your pack, family, and species—you can either choose to be with them, which will result in you getting the 'mark of shame' that will expel you from all wolf society everywhere. Or you can choose to remain with us, and I promise to start trying harder to uphold your parents' motto in my pack...If anyone has anything to say to him, now's the time."

Bugsy walks up to Kale and says, "You heard him, hermanito. He's going to put family before the pack!"

 **Luciano:** "We _know_ you're going to choose us, because we're your family and friends."

 **Gabby:** "Yeah. Papa is willing to accept you back into the pack despite everything you've done to tarnish it. You have to feel _some_ obligation to remain in it."

 **Clyde:** "We'll all change for you, Kale. We promise."

Dillinger nods yes, crosses his heart, holds up his paw as if taking a vow and says, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a wolf claw in my eye."

 **Bonnie:** "Don't forget, I need a kind babysitter like you for my pups from time to time."

 **Emmy:** "And think of the alternative, of what will happen to you if you get the mark of shame. You'll become every wolf's worst enemy."

 **Nelson:** "You'll never get a girlfriend, or get married, or have pups of your own if you choose the prey animals over us, Kale."

 **B.T.K.:** "For better and worse, you're a part of all our lives, Kale, it's what families and wolf packs accept. And we accept you."

 **Capone:** "Use your head on this, Kale. I know you're smart, you'll make the right choice...For yourself more than us."

 **Luciano:** "Even _we_ will have to turn against you if you get the mark of shame." (Eyes watering) "You _can't_ want that. Bugsy and I won't be able to take it..."

 **Bugsy** (eyes watering) **:** "We love you, Kale. I mean, yeah, we really banged you up, but that's because we were hoping you'd see what it would be like if you get the mark of shame. But it hurt us too. It tore Luciano and me apart."

 **Luciano:** "Don't tear us apart for real, hermanito...Please...We'll never get over what we did to you unless you stay with us."

 **Leo:** "The fact that I'm letting you choose should be the first sign that I'm going to change for you, Kale. It's about time I balance devotion to family and the codes of wolf society, and you're going to be the one to teach me how. Think about everything we've said and make you choice. But do so with _certainty_ , no second thoughts after hearing what we'll say and what we'll do when you chose one choice over the other."

Kale nods and thinks things over. He knows that everyone is serious due to their proper grammar. Once again, when he makes his choice there is no going back. He will either never see his pack and brothers again, or never see the hedgies again. He will either continue living as a wolf, or continue living as a dog. He will either experience true happiness, or experience true sorrow for the rest of his life. He will either be loved forever, or hated forever. He will either be set for life, or doomed for life. But no matter what he chooses, he will finally be in charge of his own life.

Having decided, he looks back to his pack, and gives them his choice.

 **Kale:** "I choose..." (Waits for everyone to hold their breaths in anticipation) "the prey animals."

Instead of a humorous record scratch, the 11 other wolves swear they can hear the sound of glass shattering in the seriousness of what Kale just did to himself, and them.

 **Luciano** (shakes his head in disbelief) **:** "No... _No_... _ **NOOOOO-OOOOO!**_ "

 **Bugsy:** " _ **WHHHHYYYYYYYYY?!**_ "

 **Kale:** "Haven't you's heard da story of _Little Red Riding Hood_? Wolves are da biggest manipulators and liars in the animal kingdom. With the exception of my hermanos, none of you's would keep ya's word! I _know_ you's were lying! You's just said all dat ta make me choose you over them, not because you really wanted ta make me stay! And you, Leo, want me gone more than anyone, so I'll stop holdin' back you's dreams! That's why you's let dee oth'as speak ta me, so I'd know they're lyin' and choose ta get the mark of shame."

 **Leo:** "I'll...be...darned...You's really are smarter dan you's look, Kale."

Bugsy and Luciano look at Leo in horror.

 **Bugsy** (low and venomous) **:** "What...?"

 **Luciano:** "You wanted ta get our hermanito, and your godson, kicked outta da pack all along?!"

 **Emmy:** "We all did."

Dillinger gives a grin while shrugging and muttering "Heh," in agreement.

 **Capone:** "We don't need ya's lil' bro now dat our man, Billy the Kid, is with us." (Pats B.T.K. on the shoulder)

 **B.T.K.:** "So gew-ood riddance ta ba-yad rubbish."

 **Bugsy** (to Leo) **:** "What about your vow to our parents? Why would you do this?

 **Leo:** "For the exact reasons he just said." (Points to Kale)

 **Kale:** "Don't blame Leo and the others for everything, hermanos. I made my choice as soon as I let RJ ride on me like a stead inta battle. I've had it with bein' a wolf! And you's two" (points at his brothers) "wouldn't be enough ta make life betta for me in da pack. You had 15 years ta get ta know me, 15 years ta ask me how I felt, and five years to break away from Leo's pack and find a better one for me. I never spoke up before because I never had the chance, what with havin' my voice silenced all the time because of the need ta follow the codes of wolf society. All'uv you's tried ta change me inta someone I'm not, into someone I don't wanna be. I know what life will be like with the mark of shame. I'll be nothing. With the prey animal family, I'll be nothing. But with this pack, I'll be less than nothing! With the prey animal family, at least I'll feel loved for real! I'll be free to live my life how I want to, without followin' da codes of wolf society."

 **Bugsy:** "B-but we...We'll..."

 **Luciano:** "You're..."

 **Leo:** "Enough! He's made his choice. Dillinger, Capone, Gabby, and Emmy, grab a leg and bring him ta me!"

As those four go over to Kale, Luciano and Bugsy start begging to Leo.

 **Luciano:** "Don't do it, Leo! Please!"

 **Bugsy:** "There are other ways he can be punished without the mark of shame! I mean, the codes of wolf society say—"

Leo smacks the brothers in the face, knocking them to the ground. He always feels a simmering impatience when someone **(1)** tries to lecture him about the **(1)** codes of wolf society.

Leo points at Luciano and Busgy while saying to the wolves that are not bringing Kale, "Restrain 'em for me. Make 'em watch dis."

The other wolves grab Bugsy and Luciano by the limbs and drag them over to Leo.

 **Leo** (growling) **:** "Kale has violated the **(1)** codes of wolf society enough times dat he deserves no protection from it." **(1)**

 **Luciano:** "But _his_ **(1)** mark of shame isn't bound by the **(1)** codes of wolf society! Without killin' a top predator on his own, he's not an official member of our pack!"

 **Leo:** "Spare me ya's tedious legal analysis **(1)**. He betrayed the entire wolf species, as well as the laws of predator and prey dat Nature set for all animals."

By now Kale has been brought to Leo, but unlike his brothers, the teenager shows no fear and doesn't struggle. That makes Luciano and Bugsy feel worse, because it only confirms that Kale is fully alright living a life without his brothers.

 **Leo** (to Luciano and Bugsy) **:** "Even when we give the mark of shame, I'm not gonna let anyone here kill ya's bro. We'll leave him as we did before, but if we's do ever cross paths with 'im again, den all bets're off. If that happens, then if Kale wants ta lodge a complaint against me, he'll have ta do it from dee other side of his grave **(1)**. _IF_ enough of him can be scrapped up ta put into one." **(1)**

Water gushes out of Bugsy's and Luciano's eyes. They want to ravage Leo for what he's done and for what he's about to do, but the others' hold on them is too strong. All they can do is watch.

 **Leo** (to Kale) **:** "Because of what you did today, you should be dead **(2)**. Because of who your parents are to me, you're alive **(2)**. But you are dead to us for good **(2)**. And today you will know how a traitor suffers." **(2)**

Leo gets into an attack stance, and concentrates on where the mark of shame will be.

One strike later, and the night sky becomes filled with Kale's screams.

 **Note: (1)=Based on** _ **Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor**_ **by K. W. Jeter**

 **(2)=Based on the movie** _ **Freedom Writers**_ **.**

* * *

Five minutes later, when Kale is no longer in sight of the pack, the wolves restraining Bugsy and Luciano still haven't eased up on the brothers, even when those two have given no indication that they will do anything rash. They were compelled to watch Leo give Kale the mark of shame, which was like seeing their own children being tortured to death. Bugsy and Luciano felt so angry and so sad, that all the aggressive and passionate fires of beating up Leo had died out, replaced by cold and bitter emotionlessness.

 **Luciano** (monotone voice) **:** "Can ya's let us go now?"

 **Leo:** "Promise not ta try and attack me?"

 **Bugsy** (monotone voice) **:** "Why do that when we got somethin' much betta planned."

 **Bonnie:** "Oooo! Dis should be interestin'!"

 **Leo:** "Let 'em go."

Nelson and Clyde let go of Bugsy, and B.T.K. and Bonnie let go of Luciano. The brothers remain on the ground, not bothering to get on their feet.

 **Luciano:** "You've gone too far, Leo."

 **Bugsy:** "Picking on our hermanito, makin' impossible demands of him, and lyin' ta us and him about the deal you's made with us is one thing. But deliberately trying to get him kicked outta da Bone-Chompers just so you's can have ya's 'perfect' wolf pack is da last straw."

 **Leo:** "Even you's know he violated the codes of wolf society and the laws of predator and prey. And he said it himself, he wanted to betray us before I had our pack try to convince him ta stay with us."

Luciano looks over to Bugsy, who nods at him, causing the older one to nod too. As they get to their feet the rest of the pack is wary. They were expecting the brothers to be screaming bloody murder and punching holes in trees or the ground after what they had just been through. But Luciano and Bugsy haven't even gritted their teeth. It's all very abnormal for wolves to behave in such a way. But the strangest thing is yet to come.

 **Luciano:** "We're leavin' you, Leo."

 **Bugsy:** "Forever."

 **Leo:** "Come again?"

 **Luciano:** "Bone-Chomper Leo, for failing to keep my parents' promise to take care of my little brother Kale, I, Luciano, as the oldest living member of the Sniff-Tracker Wolf Pack, disown you as my pack godfather, and literal godfather. We're leaving the Bone-Chomper Pack."

 **Bugsy:** "And I, Bugsy, as the second oldest living member of the Sniff-Tracker Wolf Pack, affirm this."

 **Capone:** "Are you's kiddin'? We'll all have ta work twice as hard ta regain our standing in wolf society and maintain our territories without you's two."

The brothers glare at Capone in a way that makes him cringe, but the sincerity in their eyes is unmistakable.

 **Luciano:** "Don't nobody try ta change our minds. You's all made us two do this."

 **Leo** (to the pack) **:** "If that's what ya's want—"

 **Bugsy:** "—It is. And since you's no longer our godfather, dare's no penalty for interrupting you."

 **Luciano:** "We stayed with you and dis pack, longer than we should have, because we were hoping it would make the lives of me, Bugsy, and Kale better. But only us two" (points to Bugsy then himself) "ever benefited. All the prestige, power, and reputation did was blind us from keeping our parents' vow ta put family before the pack. We failed them like you did, Leo. And now that Kale has the mark of shame, we can't see him ever again. Disowning you and leavin' dis pack is now our only shot at redemption."

 **Bugsy:** "We let our one mistake ruin the life of our hermanito, we won't let the same mistake ruin us. Starting now and lastin' forever, call me Sniff-Tracker Bugsy."

 **Luciano:** "And call me Sniff-Tracker Luciano."

 **Bugsy:** "It's our duty ta keep da Sniff-Tracker name alive. I only see the death of that new vow with this pack."

 **Emmy:** "You do realize what you's two're doing, right? If you leave us, you leave behind all the land, reputation, honor, and standin' you's have worked for all your life."

 **Bugsy:** "I see it as a chance ta start over again. The sky's the limit now."

 **Leo:** "Very well. The choice is yours," (turns to the others) "and we all accept it, right?"

The other Bone-Chompers sigh at the loss of their best deal-maker and turf-war inciter, but also know they can't do anything to change their minds, so they nod yes.

 **Luciano:** "Farewell folks. We'll never meet again."

The Bone-Chompers don't try to stop the newly-christened Sniff-Trackers. They step aside and let them pass. When Luciano and Bugsy pass the last wolf, Leo can't help but ask one important question.

 **Leo:** "Why guys? You _know_ dat all I did was follow the codes of wolf society to the letter."

 **Luciano and Bugsy stop and turn, then say in unison:** "It's what ma and dad would want, that's why."

They move out into the wilderness, and are never seen by the Bone-Chompers again.

* * *

The next evening at the opposite side of the forest—not to mention mood spectrum—no words can describe how great it feels for the hedgies to be back at their real home again. The log and the Pad are exactly how they remember it, and are currently full of party snacks and drinks that the hedgies had brought with the help of Martha's, Rainer's, Richie's, Brooke's, Jeff's, and Ladarius's families. The families of the original resistance members are present as well, making the area crowded with Phil the rabbit's family, Josiah the possum's family, and Andy the dove's family. But as the saying goes, the more the merrier, so both kids and adults are enjoying themselves.

Having had a full 24 hours to rest after their fellow forest animals had tended their wounds, RJ and Rick are socializing with their family and friends. Unlike Rick who can walk around, RJ is in a baby doll stroller since he still isn't in any condition to move on his own, especially with sore stitches in his wolf bite wounds. Still, he's having a great time listening to the others tell him how the battle unfolded. Some talk about the risks of the decision to free the former paisanos from their cages, but without a wolf pack to back them up they shouldn't be too much trouble anymore. And if they choose to leave these woods and go live in the Bone-Chompers' territory, then that will suit everyone else fine.

Some animals in particular have learned from the oppressive reign of the Bone-Chompers that any moment can be their last, which has put Hammy, Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha in the mood to tell something to certain creatures they have had feelings for.

 **Scarlet:** "Hoo boy, it's gonna be awkward walking around without any fur on the lower half of my body."

 **Hammy:** "Not as weird as walking around without _any_ fur on your body like I did for two months."

 **Scarlet** : "Yikes...You just _had_ to put that image in my head, didn't you?"

 **Hammy:** "It makes you feel better, right?"

 **Scarlet** (shrugs) **:** "You could say that. But..." (Serious) "there's something that'll make me feel even better."

 **Hammy:** "Ya-huh?"

 **Scarlet:** "Hammy...Remember when I showed up at the cabin running away from Victor?"

 **Hammy:** "Ya-huh."

 **Scarlet:** "I really meant what I said, about not wanting to spend another moment without you."

 **Hammy:** "Of course you did. That's the way I feel about you."

Scarlet decides to cut the subtlties and just make the plunge like Hammy would do.

 **Scarlet:** "Hammy..."

 **Hammy:** "Scarlet..."

 **Scarlet and Hammy in unison:** "Will you marry me?"

The two squirrels' brows furrow at how they had the exact same idea. Then they decide they better get used to that, because they're going to be living with each other for the rest of their lives.

 **Scarlet and Hammy in unison:** "Yes! I'll marry you!"

They wrap their arms around each other while kissing, which draws the cheers of many nearby animals who had overheard them.

Not among them is De'Ausha who is with Ladarius, Bernard who is with Richie's little sister Patricia, and Mary who is with Josiah's son Elroy. Each pair is also separate from each other, which is exactly what they want.

 **De'Ausha:** "Ladarius...I've been meanin' to tell ya somethin' for a while. Especially after nearly gettin' killed for the past few months."

 **Ladarius:** "Me too, De'Ausha."

 **De'Ausha:** "I—Wait. On the count of three, say it aloud. Don't even think about it."

 **Ladarius:** "Okay."

 **De'Ausha:** "One, two, three—"

 **De'Ausha and Ladarius in unison:** "I love you!"

The two gasp in joy while looking at each other with big smiles. Nothing else has to be said, so they fling their arms around each other and rapidly kiss repeatedly.

Closer to the pad, Bernard has been standing around Richie and Brooke, pretending to listen to their conversation of how much butt they kicked in the battle which the oposaccoon knows is an exaggeration. But that's not why he's near them.

He has been glancing at Richie's little sister, Patricia, a gray-furred raccoon with a brown mask and blue eyes, waiting for an opportunity to be alone with her. Bernard had meant it when he told Kale that he had a crush on her. It started when he played baseball with her two years ago, on the day he and Mary tried to make new friends after being picked on by Richie and Brooke. As he played, she didn't mind his being a hybrid, and he thought she had the sweetest laugh and prettiest smile when she saw him make a dramatic scene whenever he got tagged out. Bernard has been thankful for his friendship with Richie, because he has got to see Patricia more often. This was especially the case when Richie's family moved into the abandoned cabin at the summer camp. However, Bernard's timidity always prevented him from saying hello to her, and whenever she told him hello, he would faint. Although he missed out on the opportunity to have a conversation with her, before he passed out her giggle always filled him with joy.

But after seeing his dad, RJ, almost die from the wolf that had bitten him during the battle, Bernard has come to realize he has to take more risks to find happiness for himself, and to ensure happiness for others. That memory gives the opossacoon the motivation to walk around Richie and Brooke and shyly approach Patricia while she is busy listening to the speakers.

 **Bernard:** "Um...H-h-hi, P-p-pat-t-tricia."

 **Patricia:** "Hi, Bernard. Y'know, if it's too hard to pronounce, you can always call me 'Pat' for short."

 **Bernard:** "Oh, I-I'd love y—uh, love to."

 **Patricia** (giggles) **:** "What were you doing in the big battle?"

 **Bernard:** "I w-was, um, throwing boomerangs at the wolves. But when they got too close, mommy had me climb on her back and we retreated to the other animals behind us."

 **Patricia:** "Did you hit any of those meanies?"

 **Bernard:** "Y-yeah. At first they were good at dodging, but then when they slowed down to avoid the porcupine quill trap, I hit them a lot more. I guess all those baseball games we've played were good for something."

 **Patricia:** "You're right. I was behind my brother Richie as my parents each used a policeman baton to hit the leader wolf. I had a can of mace and tried to hit him in the eyes, but then those other wolves came in and hit the animals beside me and I fell to the ground. Thankfully your family was close by and fended the wolves off. I should've seen you doing that, but didn't. Where were you?"

 **Bernard** (embarrassed) **:** "I, uh, hid in mommy's pouch for the rest of the fight...I was too scared to fight anymore, and if I played possum I would've gotten eaten."

Ever since his pause, Bernard spoke in a voice of resignation, knowing that his cowardice will cost him Patricia's affection.

 **Patricia:** "I wish I had thought of hiding..."

Bernard's brow furrows at Patricia's words and tone, neither of which sound indignant in the slightest.

 **Bernard:** "Huh? R-really?"

 **Patricia:** "Yeah, I wouldn't have gotten buried by two animals that had been knocked over. One of them had very sharp hind claws and poked me hard. The other was so heavy that he knocked me out. But what does it matter as long as we won, eh?"

Bernard can't tell why, but his confidence gets a serious boost. He then concludes it's better not worrying about why and to just keep talking.

 **Bernard:** "Yeah! So, um, if you're finished with talking about the battle, wanna see my favorite toys?"

 **Patricia:** "I'd love to!"

 **Bernard:** "Great! This way."

Bernard leads Patricia with a big smile on his face and feeling like his inner raccoon to seize the moment isn't as dormant in himself as he thought.

Nearer to the log, Mary is having equally good luck in talking to Elroy, a seven-year-old possum with brown eyes, gray fur on his body, white fur on his face, and ears that are colored white on the upper half and black and the lower half.

Mary had met Elroy playing baseball on the same day Bernard had met Patricia. Unlike Patricia, Elroy initially believed the opossacoon hybrids were freaky and gross, but had to keep his mouth shut or else he'd be chewed out by Ladarius who was leading the game. When Elroy saw Mary and Bernard playing possum whenever they got out, the pure possum didn't want to get upstaged by weird hybrids who were only half possum. So he started playing possum whenever he got out too, which caught Mary's eye and the two had an unwritten competition to see who could out play possum the other. Thanks to her grandfather and mother's teachings, Mary won, which made Elroy very jealous but at the same time intrigued, wanting to know more about the curious hybrid. He started out slow, always sitting or standing next to her as they played, then became bolder by adding his voice into conversations she had with others, then he got the courage to ask her to be his friend, which she accepted. Nowadays the two see each other regularly and have playing possum contests, but only when there's nothing better to do. The reason is because, oddly, the two don't like playing possum and prefer to be more aggressive when facing danger. Speaking of which, that's what they are talking about right now.

 **Mary:** "I thought it was very brave how your dad helped create the first resistance, Elroy. He was also skillful enough to keep himself hidden from both the wolves and their paisano allies."

 **Elroy:** "Well, not as brave as your dad is for facing a wolf without a weapon, even if they teamed up instead of fighting each other. He also stood up to all of us when my dad tried to banish that one wolf your family was taking care of."

 **Mary:** "My daddy _is_ a full-blooded raccoon, so it's only natural for him to take chances, even though sometimes he takes too many."

 **Elroy:** "I like that about him, he reminds me of my mom and dad."

 **Mary:** "And you remind me of my mom because you don't like playing possum. That's how she was until she met daddy. After her 'first big performance,' she started doing it more often, but still isn't as easy to frighten."

 **Elroy:** "Yeah, well, playing possum doesn't work against scavengers. That's why my parents taught me to just play possum whenever I'm facing animals that only eat live food."

Wanting to move the conversation in a direction that will give her the chance to talk about her true feelings for Elroy, Mary takes Elroy's paw into her own, and, seeing how he doesn't look confused or uncomfortable, looks him in the eyes. When he gives her that same look, they know that they have some sort of connection. It could just turn out to be puppy love, but right now it feels real.

 **Mary:** "I...always thought you were they bravest possum I ever met."

 **Elroy:** "Really? Thanks...And you're the bravest girl I've ever met.

 **Mary:** "Thank you, that means a lot to me. I've always been more like a raccoon than a possum, and was afraid you wouldn't like me if I was more like a possum than a raccoon."

 **Elroy:** "Are you kidding? I'd like you either way."

For some unknown reason, Mary suddenly finds herself speechless, and so does Elroy.

 **Mary:** "I...I..."

 **Elroy:** "Uhhh..."

When the nearby boombox starts playing the song "Hey Mickey," Mary gets herself back together.

 **Mary:** "Oh, this is my favorite song! Do you wanna dance?"

 **Elroy:** "Sure! Even though it's a girly song."

 **Mary:** "Oh yeah? I bet you'll like it a lot more when you finish dancing with me."

 **Elroy:** "You're on. And if I don't, then you'll have to act like a real possum for three days."

 **Mary** (shakes his paw) **:** "Deal."

* * *

As the two run out into the dance floor, Rebecca, who had overheard them, giggles at the prospect of young love. She then sighs at how her love life is currently empty, and she wants it to be filled. But alas, Garrett is still mad with grief over the loss of his mate Lizzy, and he'll probably never want to remarry. She would have brooded some more, but her ears perk up when she hears someone speak.

 **Voice:** "There she is! Hurry!"

Rebecca turns around and is surprised to see Garrett's parents, Glen and Amy, older brother Houston, his mate Lyra, and Uncle Jared (Amy's brother) coming toward her. Garrett is in a baby doll stroller being pushed by his family. Rebecca clasps her paws to her mouth while gasping at the sight of him. Garret looks catatonic: eyes wide open and glassy, head lolled to the side, and drooling out of his mouth.

 **Glen** (who had spoken) **:** "Are you Rebecca?"

 **Rebecca:** "Yes sir."

 **Amy:** "You heard what happened to our son, right?"

 **Rebecca** (in remorse) **:** "Yes ma'am...I can't imagine how horrible it was to lose the love of his life."

 **Lyra:** "And you're the one who got Lizzy and him together. I bet you were devastated too."

 **Rebecca** (nods slowly) **:** "I was."

 **Jared:** "We've tried everything to snap him out of his current state, but nothing's worked."

 **Amy** (voice quivering) **:** "I-I'm afraid he'll be stuck like this forever."

 **Rebecca:** "But why bring him here?"

 **Houston:** "My little brother has been mumbling something for the past two days. At first we thought it was more gibberish, until we realized it was someone's name. Your name."

 **Rebecca** (points to herself) **:** "Me? Are you sure?"

 **Garrett** (in a sound like a mumble and moan combined) **:** "B-e-e-e-e-e-e-cccaaaaaaaaa..."

Rebecca's eyes widen and she looks at Garrett's broken form.

 **Glen:** "Please...Talk to him, see if you get him to come to his senses." (Fighting back tears) "It's the only option we have left."

Rebecca can't believe what she's hearing. Why was Garrett mumbling her name of all things? Was it because she meant something to him after all, even when he was married to Lizzy? And if so what?

 **Rebecca thinking:** " _Worry about that later. Right now, just help him and his family._ " (Out loud) "I'll try."

Rebecca walks up to Garrett and puts a paw on his shoulder.

 **Rebecca:** "Garrett? It's me, Becca."

 **Garrett** (mumble-moan) **:** "B-e-e-e-e-e-ccaaaaaaa…"

 **Rebecca:** "Do you remember me? The day you broke up with Lizzy I danced with you, and played video and board games with you. We then attached ten dollars to a fishing pole and went 'street fishing' for humans who tried to take it. You beat me in tennis, then we swam in a pool where we had a contest of who could outdo the other in diving board stunts. Then we watched that comic book movie about the red guy who kept talking to the camera and narrating throughout the whole flick..."

 **Garrett:** "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"

 **Amy:** "Oh no, he's doing it again! Try harder, Rebecca!"

 **Houston:** "Calm down, mom." (To Rebecca) "If Garrett goes 'Uhhh,' it means he's about to slip back into 'La-La Land.' We can't let that happen, not after making so much progress."

Rebecca thoughts are frenzied with all the pressure that's on her now. She has to do something to save Garrett's mind, or he'll be like this permanently. If she takes too long to think about the right words to say, it might be too late. But are words even the proper solution? She then decides words can't help him, and has something more drastic in mind.

 **Rebecca** (to Garret's family) **:** "Hold the stroller, make sure it doesn't move. And please, don't hate me for this."

With the need to save their family member driving their minds, Garrett's family obeys and holds the stroller with all their strength. They're just in time to stop it from moving—

—As Rebecca climbs into it and starts making out with Garrett. She remembers how she saw Lizzy and Garrett vigorously kissing, hugging, and groping each other on the day her heart was broken at the sight, and now does the same body, paw, and lip motions to him. The reason is because she remembers how happy Garrett was to be with Lizzy that day, and believes repeating that process will jog his memory. But his family doesn't take too kindly to her actions.

 **Houston:** "What are you DOING?!"

 **Glen:** "My son just lost his mate and you're trying to smooch in to take him?!"

Glen is about to yank Rebecca off of Garrett when he suddenly responds.

 **Garrett:** "Rrrrrrr-b-e-e-e-e-ecccaaaaaa..."

 **Glen** (shocked) **:** "He...said more of her name..." (To Rebecca) "Keep doing what you're doing."

Rebecca stops kissing Garrett, stands up in the stroller, and puts her chest against his face.

 **Rebecca:** "Breathe me in, Garrett. Know my scent."

Rebecca leans into him harder, almost smothering him, but that's what causes him to start taking in bigger whiffs of her.

 **Garrett:** "Rr-e-e-e-b-e-e-eccaa..."

 **Amy:** "Mother Mercy, he's not slurring as much!"

Rebecca eases her tight hold on Garrett and then pulls him back into her chest more gently, in a hug. Her heart is pounding now, but that's good because it means she can execute her next step.

 **Rebecca:** "Feel it, Garrett...Feel my heartbeat...This heart beats for you... _My_ heart beats for you."

 **Garrett:** "H-h-h-earrrrt...Beeeaaattt."

 **Jared:** "Oh my gosh, you're doing it, Rebecca!"

Although Rebecca is happy that what she's doing is working, even she is icked out at what she has to do next. But so far, her revival using the senses is working, the more drastic the better effect it has. She can't stop now.

Rebecca pulls her chest away from Garrett again, uses her right paw to open his mouth wide (pulling down at the chin) and then places and slides her left arm across his tongue.

 **Rebecca:** "Taste me, Garrett."

 **Garrett:** "Mmmmmmmmm..."

Rebecca takes Garrett's right arm and slides it across his tongue.

 **Rebecca:** "Now taste yourself."

 **Garrett:** "Taaaaaaassssteeee."

Rebecca lets Garrett's right arm hang to the side, takes his left arm, and presses it hard against his nose.

 **Rebecca:** "Smell yourself, Garrett."

 **Garrett:** "Sssssssmelllllll."

Rebecca takes his left paw and places it on his heart.

 **Rebecca:** "Feel yourself, Garrett. Feel your heartbeat. It beats for you...Just as mine beats for you."

 **Garrett:** "F-f-f-f-f-eeeellll...Buh, buh, buh, buh, buhhh."

 **Amy:** "We're losing him again!"

 **Garrett:** "B-e-e-eccaaaaa."

 **Houston:** "No we're not! It's working!"

Rebecca buries her chest in Garrett's face again.

 **Rebecca:** "Whose scent are you _smelling_?"

 **Garrett:** "B-e-e-eccaaaaaa'ssss..."

Rebecca opens Garrett's mouth and strokes her arm across his tongue again.

 **Rebecca:** "Who are you _tasting_?"

 **Garrett:** "Rrrre-b-e-e-ecccaaa."

 **Glen:** "It's gonna work!"

Rebecca gently hugs her chest against his face again.

 **Rebecca:** "Whose heartbeat are you _feeling_ , Garrett?"

 **Garrett:** "Ree-b-e-ecaaaa's..."

 **Rebecca:** "That's right. _My_ heartbeat. My heart beats for you..."

 **Garrett:** "Ree-b...ecca'ssss...H-h-earrrt b-e-eat."

 **Rebecca:** " _Listen_ to my voice... _Hear_ it...Hear the voice that comes from my heart...The heart that beats for you."

 **Garrett:** "Reeebeeccaa's v-v-v-ooiccccce...H-hearrrt...b-e-e-eatsss...F-f-for. Y-y-yooouuu."

 **Lyra** (whispering) **:** "C'mon, c'mon!"

 **Rebecca** (whispering to Garrett's family) **:** "Lay us on the ground."

The raccoons nod and slowly tilt back the stroller until Rebecca is now laying on top of Garrett. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, given the awkward position they're in, Rebecca prays that her next and final step will succeed. She makes sure to open his mouth, takes a deep breath, and then executes her move.

 **Rebecca:** "Garrett...Follow my voice...Follow my heartbeat...Follow my scent...Follow my taste..."

As she speaks, she slowly worms her way high up his body, and stops when her chest is now pressing against his eyes.

 **Rebecca:** "Garrett...Whose voice did you _hear_?"

 **Garrett:** "R-r-ee-b-e-eca."

 **Rebecca:** "Whose heartbeat did you _feel_?"

 **Garrett:** "R-r-eb-eccaa'sss."

 **Rebecca:** "Whose scent did you _smell_?"

 **Garrett:** "Re-b-e-eccaa'ss."

 **Rebecca:** "Who did you _taste_?"

 **Garrett:** "Re-b-e-c-c-a."

 **Rebecca:** "Follow the sound of my voice...Follow my scent...Follow the feel of my heartbeat...Follow my taste..."

 **Garrett:** "F-f-o-llow...Rebe-cca."

Garrett's family members are either holding their breath, gripping their sides, or nibbling their nails.

 **Rebecca** (whispering to Garrett's family) **:** "Pull me up slowly."

Glen and Jared nod, make their way over to Rebecca, grab her waist and chest, and slowly pull her up. Thinking she will have something else to say, Garret's other family members keep their eyes on her as she's lifted up. She doesn't say anything, but their hearts flutter when they see her smile. They look back at Garrett who it sitting up, his eyes are no longer glassy, and he looks like he just awoke from a very long nap. He still looks confused, however, so no one celebrates just yet.

 **Garrett:** "Rebecca...? Where am I?"

Rebecca smiles, runs over to him, and hugs him tight.

 **Rebecca:** "You're back, Garrett! You're home again!"

As soon as Garrett's family yells, they discover that everyone at the party has been watching silently, and now those voices join in too. Garret's parents, brother, sister-in-law, and uncle rush in to make Rebecca's embrace a group hug.

 **Glen:** "You saved our son, Rebecca!"

 **Amy:** "Thank you, thank you, thank yooouuuu!"

 **Garrett:** "Saved me? From what?"

 **Jared:** "It's a long story, Garrett."

 **Houston:** "But let's not worry about that right now, little bro!"

 **Lyra:** "Just let us give you the biggest hug you'll ever get!"

The onlookers clap. Stella and Tiger look at each other with a special twinkle in their eye. They, like Rebecca, know that she will have a second chance with Garrett once everything is properly explained.

Elsewhere among the crowd is Verne, who leans over to RJ and says, "Looks like your title as the family's 'head doctor' will be challenged, RJ."

 **RJ:** "Like heck it is. Healing mental wounds is a whole different ballgame from healing physical wounds."

 **Sarah** (in humor) **:** "Is someone jealous of their little sister?"

 **RJ:** "Absolutely not."

 **Rogan** (in humor) **:** "Then why are you blushing, RJ?"

The remark only makes RJ redden more.

 **RJ:** "I-I..."

"Uhhhhhhnnnnnnn!"

Everyone turns their heads to the direction of the loud groan, and gasps. Unfortunately, RJ's stroller isn't facing in the proper direction.

 **RJ:** "Hey! Someone move me! I can't see!"

Verne turns RJ around and the raccoon joins in staring at the owner of the groan.

It's none other than Kale whose entire body from head to toe looks like it's been run over by every racer at a NASCAR speedway. He staggers forward for two more steps, then collapses on the ground.

The hedgies rush over to him and immediately start giving him first aid.

 **Glen:** "Hold on. Why're you helping that fiend!"

 **Amy:** "Yeah! He's the one who killed our daughter-in-law!"

 **Luby** (scoffs) **:** "Look at him! How can any of you be cruel enough not to help him?!"

Kale looks up at Amy and says, "Go on...Hate me...I desoive it...Everyone hates me now...'Specially my pack..."

Just as Velma steps behind Kale's hindquarters to put a bandage on the back of his left hindleg, she notices something that makes her scream.

 **Verne:** "What is it, Velma?!"

 **Velma** (while pointing) **:** "Look! His whole tail is gone!"

The hedgies run (and RJ is taken) over, where they see the wound that looks as if the wolf's tail had been amputated by an expert surgeon.

 **Kale:** "It's da...mark of shame. Dee biggest punishment a wolf can get...Reserved only for those who committed the greatest crimes...against a pack, the wolf species, and Nature itself."

After being brought to Kale's front, and reading the last page first, RJ remarks in realization, "You sided with me in the battle..."

 **Kale:** "They beat me up for causin' da battle that they lost...I told 'em how I really felt about bein' a wolf and what I thought of them. Den they gave me a choice: pick you's or them. I chose you's. In doing so, I betrayed my pack, the codes of wolf society, the wolf species, and Nature's law of predator and prey...I'm banished forever from my pack, and all of wolf society...If a wolf ever sees me, it'll be dare obligation as a wolf ta kill me. Even if my own brothers see me."

The listeners can't believe that wolves would be so cruel to one of their own to establish that kind of punishment in the first place. But at the same time, they also know everything Kale has said is true, at how he violated everything wolves and predators stand for.

 **Kale:** "I've got nothin' now...No home, no friends, no family, and no love...I _am_ nothin' now, not'a wolf, not'a predator, just a disgrace...But you're all I have left...I didn't know where else ta go or what else ta do..."

Even those who hate Kale for killing their loved ones feel pity for the wolf. Attacking him is the last thing they want now. Right now, they want answers.

 **Verne:** "Why...? Why did you choose to be with us instead of your pack, your literal godfather, and your own brothers?"

 **Kale:** "Because I wanted ta be free...like all'uv you's. I didn't wanna spend anoth'a second with my pack and their lies, bein' a slave to the codes of wolf society. I wanted ta live with you's. Ta be a part of your family. Ta be loved again. Ta have real friends. Ta be able to play and do things any 15-year-old should do. Because...I...I love all of you."

The hedgies gasp, what prey animals wouldn't after hearing that a wolf loves them? They knew that Kale really, really liked them and depended on their support. But love? That takes things to a whole new level.

 **RJ:** "You...love us?"

 **Kale:** "Because you's loved me first...Not even my parents loved me as much as you's did...And I'm gonna return the favor." (To the onlookers) "I'm gonna make amends ta all'uv you's who I've wronged. I promise, from now on, ta only eat packaged meat; it tastes betta dan live meat anyway. And I promise ta protect you's homes from other predators..." (Shouting as loud as he can) "You hear me, world! I'm givin' up my predator ways, and am gonna spend the rest of my life helpin' prey animals! That's what makes me happy now!"

(Looks at the crowd and speaks normally) "And for those whose lives I have personally destroyed in some form or another—Ladarius's folks, Garrett and his family, Mark and his family, Brooke and her family—I know that the debt I owe you is impossible to pay off...But I'm gonna die tryin' to pay it off. That—I—Promise...If any of you's still hate me, then too bad. I'm a changed wolf now, and I'm never goin' back ta bein' the way I was before."

The other animals in the area look at each other, silently mulling over what Kale has just said. Then, Jordan steps forward and looks at Kale, the canine's and mustelid's eyes locking from 20 feet away.

 **Jordan:** "Just keep yo promise, kid, and we be cool."

 **Erin:** "Us too."

 **Mack:** "Same here."

 **Glen:** "We need more time, but I guess that's better than a no."

Kale's eyes start watering in happiness. It's the best start given the circumstances, and given what he owes each of these families. Their willingness to accept him let's him know there is hope for him yet. That maybe, he isn't going to Heck after all.

Wanting to capitalize on the lightened mood, while also making Kale's acceptance into the forest population of prey animals official, RJ motions for Rick and Ozzie to push him forward next to Kale so he is facing the crowd.

 **RJ:** "Kale, my family, and everyone else present right here...it's time for us all to take a vow of change **(1)**." (Looks at Kale) "What that means is, from this moment on every voice that told you 'you can't' is silenced **(1)**. Every reason that tells you things will never change, disappears **(1)**. And the guy you were before this moment, that guy's time is over **(1)**. Now it's _your_ turn." **(1)**

Feeling much stronger now thanks to the hedgies' first aid and his lifted spirits, Kale gets up and walks so that he is in front of everyone.

 **Kale:** "Ya know what I've noticed in my 15 years of life? Nobody ever listens to a **(1)** wolf. Everybody **(1)** takes one look at me and thinks I should be **(1)** an evil monster who cares nothin' 'bout prey animals' lives. They don't see the wars **(1)** I, as a wolf, fight every single day **(1)** , with myself more dan oth'as. But startin' now, my war **(1)** with prey animals and myself ta follow da codes of wolf society, and to be a predator who kills prey, ends. And I will not die **(1)** like a dog, or a wolf. I will die as an animal: free and happy. And I will not tolerate abuse from anyone." **(1)**

The prey animals clap, but Kale quickly holds up his paw to make them get quiet again.

 **Kale:** "Ever since my parents died I've always felt like I've had no home **(1)**. I always thought dat if I learn **(1)** ta like prey dat I would be laughed at **(1)** , beaten, and rejected. And I was right **(1)**. But I don't hear dat laughter anymore **(1)** , or feel dat beat down, or dat rejection." (Turns to the hedgies) "Instead I'm greeted by a couple'a friends who were a group of prey animals who offered ta help me out **(1)** , even when I did everything ta drive 'em away. And **(1)** finally, it hits me **(1)**. RJ, you crazy raccoon from four months ago, are dee only guy dat made me think of hope **(1)**. Spending more time with all of you's, seeing that there's more ta life dan **(1)** being a predator, I began ta feel better **(1)**. I walk inta ya's territory and all da problems in life are not so important anymore **(1)**. Now, I know for sure dat I am home." **(1)**

 **RJ:** "Yes, you are." **(1)**

With that, the celebration recommences, grander than ever before. It is more than a celebration of a victory over oppression, confessing true feelings, healing the injured, and accepting someone into their home and hearts. It is a celebration of the trails of life that everyone went through.

Kale is allowed to choose whatever song he wanted to serve as his "Welcome to the Forest" Song. After five minutes of searching, he found one that fits his life perfectly; for his past, present, and future. He hits the play button and everyone dances, sings, or chills out to the sound of "Awake and Alive."

 **Note** **: "Awake and Alive" is a song copyright by the band Skillet and their album _Awake_. I changed it from Linkin Park's "New Divide" because this new song simply fits better.**

 _I'm at war with the world and they,  
Try to pull me into the dark  
I struggle to find my faith  
As I'm slippin' from your arms_

 _It's getting harder to stay awake  
And my strength is fading fast  
You breathe into me, at last_

 _I'm awake, I'm alive  
Now I know what I believe inside  
Now, it's my time  
I'll do what I want, 'cuz this is my life_

 _Here (right here), right now (right now)  
I'll stand my ground and never back down  
I know what I believe inside  
I'm awake and I'm alive_

* * *

Having heard the gist of the song, which now goes into a music interlude, the rest of the animals can contemplate about it. Although the lyrics are light-mooded, they're sung aggressively like someone is beating the words into the listener. But when listened to while keeping in mind the things that have happened to Kale for the past four months, there is a sense of hope and brightness for the future that lies ahead.

Not to mention, he is a wolf, so having something aggressive suits his personality...And everyone now accepts him for that.

* * *

 _I'm at war with the world 'cuz I,  
Ain't never gonna sell my soul  
I've already made up my mind  
No matter what I can't be bought or sold_

 _When my faith is getting weak  
And I feel like giving in  
You breathe into me, again_

 _I'm awake, I'm alive  
Now I know what I believe inside  
Now, it's my time  
I'll do what I want, 'cuz this is my life_

 _Here (right here), right now (right now)  
I'll stand my ground and never back down  
I know what I believe inside  
I'm awake and I'm alive_

 _Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up_

 _In the dark,  
I can feel you in my sleep  
In your arms I feel you breathe into me  
Forever hold this heart that I will give to you  
Forever I will live for you_

* * *

Everyone takes time to smile in Kale's direction during the next music interlude as they find themselves surprised but grateful at the wolf's good taste in music. This song isn't just to describe what he's been through ever since he came into this section of the forest, it's to describe what _everybody_ has been through since he entered this territory.

Having memorized the main chorus by now, not a single voice is silent when the song continues its final measures.

* * *

 _I'm awake, I'm alive  
Now I know what I believe inside  
Now, it's my time  
I'll do what I want, 'cuz this is my life_

 _Here (right here), right now (right now)  
I'll stand my ground and never back down  
I know what I believe inside  
I'm awake and I'm alive_

 _Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up  
Waking up waking up_

* * *

As the song ends all the animals reflect on their lives for the past four unforgettable months. In the past four months, everyone has been through good times and bad times. Everyone has experienced heartbreak and heartwarming. Everyone's beliefs on the laws and lives of predators and prey have been changed.

And most of all, everyone learned that sometimes, in the most extreme circumstances, you _can_ choose your family.

End

* * *

 **Once again, Happy Holidays (at the time of this posting on 12/21/2018)! I hope you enjoyed the story. And expect to see Kale in my future OTH stories ;)**

 **However, I will be enjoying the Holiday season starting now, and come January I will be devoting all of my time, attention, and energy to finding a full-time job with benefits. When that happens, I may not have the time to update stories for a VERY long time.**

 **But I hope I have left you on a high note, and will always be around enjoying reading other OTH stories!**

 **Bye-bye!**


End file.
